Star Wars: Ebon Hawk Rises
by Hawkebat
Summary: Star Wars 5 BBY, Jara, from the Pilar Clan, is just your normal everyday scavy. However her parents raised her as a boy and now that she was starting to develop she is worried that they will find out and then she will be enslaved as someone's wife. She boldly goes into the guarded wreckage to find valuable loot. Obi Wan Kenobi, Ezra, Ahsoka, HK 47 possible in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Haigia was just like most desert planets. Sure there was a bit of green to the north and south of the planet. Mostly grasslands, but for seventy percent of the planet it was all desert. Nearly all of its water was locked into the ice caps. For Jara that was so far away she couldn't imagine anything green, but for the few cacti that dotted the dessert. The planet and system was, over the millenia, a constant battle ground. It wasn't too odd to find a ship from the Mandelorian Wars discovered right next to the most resent crashed ship from the clone wars that ended not to long ago. Like many Jara was a scavenger. At the age of thirteen standard she was finally able to go out alone, but that was only because Tor thought she was a boy. It was survival to claim and act like a boy, but she knew it was only a matter of time before Tor or some other scavy figured out she was a girl. Then her options and freedom would vanish. She did have a few things going for her as she was as tall as most of the women she knew and about average to the boys her age. Another benefit was that she didn't look like the other girls, though it would be a negative as she wouldn't grow any facial hair in the next couple of years. Her legs were longer than all of the females as well.

However she was not exactly skinny, but thinner than the other boys. Her chest had just now began to develop, so she wasn't worried yet, but the local dress hid this fact well. Her yellow tan skin was like everyone else, though her eyes were more open, lacking the epicanthic fold the others had. Her hair was black like the boys and most of the females had brown. Her green eyes were unusual for her people as most had blue or gray. These differences made her different and would slowly turn into a problem soon enough however she acted like a boy and she had plenty of girls that liked her. Her athletic body hid enough strength that she could fight as well or better than most of the boys. She was faster than most of them and could jump farther in the heavier than standard gravity. She relied on speed and agility more than brute strength like the males did. Between the clothing, the desert environment, and the taboo in not showing skin other than your face and hands helped hid her further and allowed her to hid from Tor and his family. Her parents left one day three years ago and never came back alive. The one item she still had was their speeder, a Vectron Scavenger, that was recovered a month later. They tried to hide the blood, but without using precious water they didn't get rid of it all. Tor took her in never knowing she was not a boy. Her father's name was Doren and Tor's cousin. Her mother was from some other planet. Kialoa came from a planet covered in green and promised one day that they would all move back to that world. Jara had hoped that they would mysteriously come back and take her away from this planet and save her from being sold to another clan. She knew that it was only a matter of time. Though with now being able to go out solo she was planning to make enough to move to one of the cities in the farming area or maybe even the spaceport, Haggai.

Jara sighed as she scanned the horizon. The sun would soon set and already the twin moons were rising. It would be a good night to travel and she was still miles from the old walker that she and Tor's family used as a camp. He had just come in from a trip and it would be days before he went out again. She managed to avoid his drunken rage this time. She spotted another speeder in the distance and it was far enough that she couldn't see who it was though the red flag flying behind it signaled it was from the next clan over. Pilar Clan was a frequent stop when she went out with Tor. Being from the Dillar Clan there was at times shared finds and at other time conflict. She smiled as she thought of Gila. He was the only boy who knew she was a girl and she secretly wanted him to be her husband. Maybe she would offer to have him come with her after the next cook out. They could team up and cover a lot more ground and it wouldn't be noticed that they shouldn't be alone together. She fired the speeder up and took off towards the camp. The old walker was a welcome sight as she came over the next rise. As she was taught she did a full circle around it and slowly spiraled in. It would be rare, but sometimes there would be another scavy there. It would be fine if it was a Pilar clansman or Dillar clansman, but not a Nilar or Oillar clansman. She didn't know what she would do if they were there. She would be required to fight or flee and being so late at night she couldn't make it to the next camp. No one came out as she pulled in close, but she wasn't careless as she pulled out her Kalima sticks. She circled around the walker and found no sign that anyone had been here since the sands moved last. With no other speeder on the outside she didn't think anyone was here though she and Tor normally brought their speeders inside. She hit the release for the ramp to drop down which would surprise anyone inside. No one was there and she was able to relax and bring her speeder inside. Though it would be an hour before she would venture inside do to the heat that needed to dissipate. A cool breeze rose, not really cool but anything is cooler than stalled air. She went through her full kata before it was cool enough to go inside.

This was one of the rare times she could strip down and clean herself without anyone discovering what she was and once the ramp was up it wasn't long before she was naked inside. The ramp was locked so if she did have any visitors they wouldn't be able to get inside before she could get dressed again. True a few scavy had explosives, but for a small walker they wouldn't use it. She used her extra water that she horded to wash and it felt good. She never could understand the need to be so covered up when she was at home. She remembered her mother wearing a small skirt and just a halter around her chest when she was home and late at night. Her father would wear a little bit less, but she knew he wasn't as comfortable as she was. When she moved in with Tor she had pushed he sleeve one time to get to an itch and couldn't sit for an hour after the beating she received. From then on she had learned her lesson to never do so in their house. Remembering this got her to dress quickly and double check that no skin showed before she went to sleep.

The next morning she dropped the ramp just as the sun rose over the horizon. Once the ramp was up she drove off on her speeder to the next camp sight. She would meet other scavy there as it was the most common area to scavenge. There was a downed ship that still stubbornly gave up pieces and parts. She wasn't going to search inside as only small children could get to the valuable pieces. She had a plan to go where few would risk going. There were two ships one that came down in the last war and it had dug into the desert sand and pushed out an ancient ship. If she knew what they were called she would recognize the Providence Class Dreadnought used by the CIS and the Centurion Class Battle Cruiser used during the Mandelorian Wars and later the Jedi Civil War. However she knew only that the ship was full of droids and parts to be scavenged. It was also the location that her parents were rumored to have died. The droids were still active, but only at night as the day time temperatures ruined their circuits. She arrived about the time most of the scavengers returned for the evening.

"Jaric over here." Gila yelled her boy name, as she passed their tent. She stopped the speeder and jumped off walking up to him. Her heart suddenly pounded in her chest. "Join us and we can share our rations."

"I would, but I must see if others of my clan are here first." Jara replied.

"No need in that." Farn countered. "Clan Pilar is staying deep inside the hull."

"Then I will join my ration with yours." Jara replied. "Why have they camped inside? Did they reach a unknown part of the ship?"

"Don't know, but they did come out with some circuits that haven't been seen in awhile. Didn't Tor show them to you?" Farn asked.

"No such a find he would hide so he can get his drink. Or that he had turned it over to the collector." Jara replied.

"So are you going to join them tomorrow or have you a different location in mind?" Gila asked.

"I don't know. If they found something good then I would be stupid not to get my share. However I need something more." Jara replied. "I am going after the droid ship."

"I heard what happened to your parents. Don't repeat their mistake." Farn warned.

"I will enter the ancient ship just as the sun reaches its peak. Then I will only search for an hour before coming back out. An old droid or a storage box with parts will gain me not just rations, but credits." Jara explained. "I have learned this much from the survivors."

"I would be willing to join you." Gila replied.

"No you will do no foolishness." Farn declared. "Jaric is a rogue, and he can risk it as his chance to afford a wife is slim. I have your wife nearly paid for." This shocked Jara, but she kept the reaction to herself. She could see that Gila stared a few seconds longer at her as she heard this. She could almost feel his shame at her hearing this. Though he may just rebel and follow her tomorrow regardless. She could only hope. "This is your first solo hunt. I would think you wouldn't take such a large risk, Jaric?"

"I want to leave this planet some day or go to the city at least. My mother wasn't from the clans and her stories have never left me." Jara replied. "Only a large find will do and I am still small enough to enter unseen. A Nilar Clansman managed to get inside and out with a crate of weapons from what I have heard and is now clan leader."

"True, but he lost his hand in the process." Farn countered. "No haul is worth that, and he may not remain clan leader for long. He is not the brightest one of their clan."

"They maybe hunting in that area. You won't get close to those ships if they are. That or they will find your speeder. Then you will have nothing, and Tor will kill you if the desert doesn't." Gila stated. She looked at him knowing Tor could kill her for feigning to be a male. The food was ready and it stopped the debate. Later she joined a group of boys with Gila who were sparing.

"Jaric come fight me. Winner gets to kiss Kylee." Yinar challenged. He was older and Kylee was his wife. He was the best fighter of the group. Jara knew this and the last one to get lucky to beat him never got his kiss. Then again his lip was busted, so she didn't think he wanted to. Plus the look Yinar gave him was more than enough of a deterrent.

"I don't think you would want that. Ne kiss from me and she may leave you bed cold." Jara replied. The others laughed as he frowned. "Half a ration."

Jara added and he smiled. Most bet a quarter ration, but a half ration wasn't unheard of. Plus it countered the bite she gave him. They faced off against each other and started out slowly. This wasn't a full fight, so no immediate attacks. The first phase would be a routine kata that would get faster and faster. The goal was to get in three strikes to the body. The second phase was more like a fight as the rhythm was replaced with random combinations. Most fights ended in this phase as the loser was wounded. A simple cut was all that was needed to surrender. Though most times the phase would end if one was thrown from the circle or knocked down. The third phase was a fight that lasted until a knockout, and Yinar was known to do just that. As they got faster and faster Jara began to smile as he was starting to not keep up. This invigorated her and she picked up the pace and he finally faltered and she nailed him the first time. He jumped out of the way of the second hit and they started over. She felt everything speed right back up and again she found an opening and he got hit again. He growled as they started a third time and as they got faster Jara suddenly felt everything slow down. She could feel where his sticks were going and how his next moves would go. She increased her speed and both his sticks went flying as she hit so fast and harder than she normally could. As required she jumped back and others gave Yinar his sticks back.

"I am going to enjoy this. Your speed is not going to save you this time." He growled. Yet Jara was still feeling his every move and he couldn't touch her. However she didn't really want to hurt him and she moved around defensively hoping to get him close to the edge. He never let her move him from the center and slowly he would wear her down. She didn't know how long this strange slowness would last. Then she saw a vision of the fight and followed the same movements. She hit him several times quickly and then kicked out sending him across the line. He looked completely shocked along with his pain and the normal clapping was absent as the boys mumbled in their confusion. Gila was the first to start clapping. Though only half of them joined in. "How did you do that? I wasn't even close to the line."

"I just did." Jara replied unsure how he slid the ten feet to cross over the other side. Jara squatted down and picked up the two half rations in the small hole in the center of the ring. She jumped up as he sprinted at her. She saw him run underneath her as she flipped over the top of him. This shocked her as much as it did the other boys, but as she whirled around she saw that Yinar ran straight into the only object near the ring. "Ooo." Most of the boys let out as they winced, and all of them held their groin in reaction.

"I'm going to kill you, Jaric." Yinar threatened as he slowly fell to the ground.

"I think you better go." Gila suggested. Yinar's wife smiled at Jara as she went by. It was a smile of relief as he wouldn't be bedding her anytime soon. Jara hoped that he wouldn't beat her because of it. Then again he wasn't that bad she thought. She moved quickly out of the ring and away from the group. She didn't want to face Yinar once he recovered and jumping over the top of him confused her more than the slowed time did, but it also confused her. How was she able to do that?

"That was amazing. I never saw anyone able to jump like that and you were so fast. Yinar was fighting blind. I never saw him panic like that." Gila stated as he chased after her. "How did you do it?"

"I don't know and..." Jara moved out of sight of most in the camp. "I just could. I could see everything before it happened. I didn't think I was going to jump that high.""

"Well you did and I loved it. About time someone could not only beat him, but take him down." Gila replied as he grabbed her in a hug. She froze as he picked her up and spun her around once. He set her down and her heart raced as much as she felt his race. She felt that he wanted to suddenly kiss her and she managed to push him away.

"Are you trying to get me caught?" Jara hissed at him.

"What I didn't do anything." He whispered back. "I really want to..." He left off the ending as he saw a scavy moving close by. Jara looked in that direction and then sighed.

"When I bring in my loot we can leave here. Only then can we come out in the open." Jara whispered. "And only in the city." Gila frowned and she walked away. This was not the time for her to be discover having nothing to buy her freedom from the clan. Gila followed her back to their spot in the camp and he watched her sleep until he was too tired to hold his eyes open. In the morning when Farn woke him she was gone.

"When did Jaric leave?" Gila asked.

"Don't know. He was gone before I woke myself. I hope he is careful, or we may never see him again." Farn replied. Gila looked saddened as he got his gear together.

Jara had left before most of the camp had even come close to waking. She was nearly at the two ships by the time the sun came over the horizon. She heeded the warnings not to get too close as she stopped her speeder and covered it with camouflage. It would totally stupid to leave her speeder sitting out in the open. She crawled up to the ridge and looked at the two ship with her macro binoculars. She could see the strange tan droids moving around and the larger gray ones. She saw also the three legged ones, but they never moved like the others. She saw the tanks and big walkers as well, but from what she heard they never moved. As the sun reached mid day she saw the droids move inside the wreckage and blinked as the three legged droids rolled into a ball and vanished inside. She back down and moved around to the low side and it would take here to the ancient ship and then she would be out of sight of the large machines, and she was able to sprint to the hull. The large hole in the side greeted her and she slowly moved inside carefully listening as her eyes adjusted to the darker interior.

It took more than a hour to get to an area that wasn't all twisted and destroyed. The area was a barrack area. She found clothing and armor that was nearly useless as it crumbled to dust in her hands just leaving behind the dull golden plates. Opening the personal lockers revealed more as she found cred chits. She doubted that they were worth anything, but she wouldn't know until she put them in the reader back at home. She did find a transfer device and was slowly filling one card that worked with the values from the others on to one card. The shear amount of loot had her mesmerized, and her sense of time vanished as she was drawn further into the ship. Each room she left a pile outside the door of things she wanted to take back. The rooms started to slowly change and she felt colder in some. The way they were set up she thought they were for officers, but she found no fancy uniforms ready to turn to dust. She found instead dark robes and strange statues that nearly whispered to her. These rooms contained more interesting items for her little piles. She spent very little time in these rooms and after another hour she found a common area and a door that lead to an armory. Her smile grew as she was able to squeeze through the door and the jumble of crates and full racks made her smile stretch across her face.

"Blaster rifles." She whispered. "Grenades, power packs, mines." She started laughing knowing just one of these crates would set her up for years. You didn't get ration when you turned them in you got money and not just a little bit. Getting the crates out would be a problem, but it was fairly easy to find the manual over ride panel and she used the pump to work the door out of the way. She was sweating lightly and it was a rare experience to feel the sweat roll down her cheek before it would evaporate. She focused on one crate with blasters that still had it vacuum seal intact. The grenades would be too dangerous to move, and that would go for the mines as well. From what she could tell she found a sealed power pack crate to go with the rifles and dragged the crate back to the way she came in. She really should have taken Gila with her to help. As she got to the large hole she finally saw how late it had gotten as the sun was casting long shadows. She froze as she saw one of those droids roll by. One stopped and unwrapped itself as she ducked down. She looked at her chrono and cursed to herself. Now she would have to spend the night in the wreck. Most of her supplies were with her speeder. Though she would have enough for the night. She watched the droid until a group of the tan droids showed up.

"Spread out and find the intruder." One clearly was heard raising her heart rate.

"Roger, roger." The others replied. The four droid started walking in her direction.

"Oh shit." Jara mumbled as she crawled back. A few of those droids shouldn't be too difficult, but a group of the gray droids appeared and they barreled past the tan ones heading nearly straight at her. Jara scrambled to her feet and ran. The blaster she had picked for herself was charged, but she had never used one before and there were way too many for her to find out if it would even work after who knew how long. However it wouldn't be hard to throw a grenade at them, but she had left them behind and the thought spurred her on.

"Over there." One of the gray droid growled and she heard them start to chase after her. She felt heat in the back of her head and she dropped down into a roll as she felt blaster bolts fly over her head. Her heart pounded as she rushed around a corner out of the line of fire. Farther and farther inside they chased her and no matter how many twists and turns she made or how far she got ahead they seemed to find her within minutes. She was running down a passageway and suddenly froze as the lights came on. The light blinded her as she ducked into the doorway to get out of the hall. The door long inactive slammed shut causing her to jump. Frantically she went to the door only to find that there were no controls for the door on the inside.

"Calm yourself." She heard and she spun around seeing nothing and no one. The room was looking more and more like a cell. There was a bundle of cloth in the corner of one of the platforms and seeing nothing else she went over to it. The fabric was old and as she moved it a strange skull rolled out.

"So I am going crazy hearing the dead speak." She stated. She sighed and then calmed herself as she need to get out of here, but at the same time figure out how. She used her time to inspect the weapon she had better. "Hmph? Well I'm glad I didn't fire this." She pulled out a rod that was inserted into the barrel of the blaster. The weak light was plenty to clearly see that the weapon was not ready. As she started to take it apart the chase was pushed to the back of her mind. It didn't take long before she had it back together and she smile as it quietly whine to life. Now it was ready to be used. All she had to do was disengage the safety and pull the trigger. She looked over her cell as she heard clanking on the other side of the door. She hoped and prayed that the door would stay closed. The little window was above her and anyone looking in wouldn't see her, but if the door opened for one of those droids she didn't think she could survive.

"Calm yourself. Feel." She heard the strange voice. She closed her eyes and crazily followed its advice. She gasped as she felt the dozen droids outside her cell as the slowly patrolled the passage. She felt them moving slowly away and then something else drew her attention. The strange cylinder in her pouch felt different. She pulled it out and wondered why she had picked it up. It felt cold in her grasp. Colder than it should have. She turned it over in her grasp and shook her head. From what she could see this thing wasn't worth much. Why would she pick up a handle? She had seen plenty of blades in the armory to take with her, but she picked this thing up. "Lightsaber." the voice whispered.

"Hello who's there." Jara whispered.

"A ghost... A guide... Trust me." The voice said stronger. It sent shivers over her body as it spoke. She grew wary of anyone or thing stating that you could trust them.

"Show yourself." Jara replied.

"I can not... I lack... strength." it replied.

"Am I talking to a ghost?" Jara asked as she twisted her grip on the lightsaber.

"Yes... no... I think I am more." It replied.

"Who... who were you?" She asked wondering why she was talking to herself, but then again she knew she wasn't.

"A Jedi... a Sith... I no longer know... Wait I was... Called Calif, or was it Caelistis." It replied. Jara shivered on the second name.

"Okay Calif what should I do?" Jara asked.

"Feel the blade... activate it... Cut your way out." Calif whispered. She chuckled at the irony of talking to a ghost, but as she focused on the hilt she felt something click inside as a red blade shot out of it surprising her. She fumbled with it for a second as it tapped on the floor causing sparks to fly up before she had a firm grip. The light in the cell flickered and then went out and the red glow of the blade made the room look eerie.

"Cut here." Calif ordered and she saw a hand against the wall. She didn't think it would do anything as she touched the blade to the wall and gasped as the blade suddenly went through. She tentatively moved the blade in a circle and then in a bigger circle as the blade cut a large hole. As the hole was formed the wall drooped and then fell away into the next room. Carefully she gathered up her blaster while holding the blade before stepping through. It was a cell much like the other. Though there was no bones or clothing. The door was wide open and Jara slowly stepped into the passage way. "This way..." Calif urged and she followed slowly using the lightsaber as a torch. She followed the voice of the ghost not knowing where it was leading her. Hopefully it wasn't leading her to her death. Jara paused as she heard the clanking of metal and searched for a place to hide she found one, but she had no idea how to turn the blade off. It seemed so simple to turn it on, but the feeling she had escaped her.

"Over there." One droid stated.

"Look a Jedi!" Another warned.

"Open fire!" The first ordered. Jara froze just for a second as she knew her little spot to hide wouldn't protect her. They were too far away to rush them and fight close in. She felt a rush of fear and then the ghost touched her as the blaster bolts flew at her. She flourished the blade in a random seeming pattern that deflected the bolts coming at her. Her fear was replaced with joy and she felt the bolts coming at her and she was able to send the bolts back at the droids as she advanced on them. One went down and then a second followed it. The third was cut in half by the blade and she disarmed the fourth.

"Wait please you're no jedi." The droid pleaded. She could tell it was looking at the red blade.

"No I am not." Jara replied just before she cut it down.

"This way..." Calif whispered. She ran now knowing and hearing the other droids. She would meet them in groups of two to four. Every time she used the blade forgetting the baster hanging on her back. The gray ones were harder to fight and many times they brushed her clothing some times ripping strips from her. The scraps and cuts added up over the hours that felt like days until she found an opening in the ship. She dropped down and ran for all she was worth away from the wreckage. She stopped thinking she was far enough away just in time to see a bright flash as she jumped to the side. The explosion caused her ears to ring and she tried to stand as the sand shifted under her feet sucking her down and into the hole. She fought and struggled until she rolled onto metal as another blast silenced the world above.

A few kilometers away both Farn and Gila lowered there binoculars. The droids had chased someone with a glowing stick out of the wreckage then the spot they were in exploded in a large cloud of sand and dust. The large wheeled rocket launcher rolled up to the spot and they could see a few droids poked around before heading back to the ships.

"Do you think that was Jaric?" Gila asked not wanting to know as his heart hurt.

"He is the only one to go there. No one else from the camp was crazy enough to venture so near death." Farn replied. "Jaric is dead. That much you can see."

"Jara. Her name was Jara not Jaric. Her parents raised her as a boy and Tor never found out." Gila stated. Farn looked shocked, but he understood now his son's attraction to the Pilar boy, girl. It took guts and strength to impersonate a man. More so as young one. He know felt an equal amount of respect for her and shame. She was fast and strong to have beaten Yinar. She was brave or crazy to try to scavenge the droid ship. However shameful her deception was.

"Then we will keep her secret and make Tor proud of her battle. Come I have an idea where her speeder is." Farn stated. "Maybe you can ride it back for me?" Gila smiled faintly. Getting to ride alone was something he didn't get often, and he always envied Jara of her speeder.

Jara woke up half buried in sand. She moaned and then grunted as she struggled to get out of the sand. She looked around and remembered the blade, but couldn't feel it in the dark. The air smelled stale and fresh at the same time like it was only open for a short time, yet it gave her energy. She pulled the rifle from her back and hit one of the buttons and light emitted from the end. She was in some type of ship. There was a closed hatch to two sides and the sand to the third. She walked the few feet around the corner to come to a third hatch that was partially open. When she squeezed through she found it contained three bunks and possibly six if the panels above came down. Storage lockers were on the other side of the beds and several had items inside nothing of value, but in good condition. She sat down and drank a bit from her pouch before checking out one of the other doors. The larger door wouldn't open from this side, but she found a panel that hid the pump.

She crawled through and shined the light around what was a lounge area of a small ship. Jara continued to her right and looked in the small room that had been converted into a cabin. The next hatch opened up to lead her to a cockpit. She tried many of the switches, but the ship was long dead. The side compartment looked as dead as the rest of the ship, but from what she could see it was communications and the node for the hyperdrive. She came out of there and got to the port dormitory. It was also equipped with personal items.

"Did they just up and leave the ship here? Why would they abandon it?" She talked to herself. "Ghost are you here?" She giggled to herself and slapped her hand over her mouth before relaxing as no one else was there. Females and little boys giggled not Kari scavengers, and definitely not her. The next hatch lead to a hall which got her in the engine room. She went to work and giggled again no longer caring as the power to the ship came on. The life support kicked up dust as it also sucked it into the walls. It was possible that the filters would soon get clogged, but she wasn't too concerned. The other hatches groaned as they opened after the decades she though the ship had been here. As she walked into the port cargo hold she noticed that the ship was centuries old maybe even longer by the type of parts she found. Finding a whole ship made her head spin with all the places she wanted to go. The Starboard cargo hold was more of a garage as it contained a speeder she had never seen before. It had several work benches and the shelves were packed full of parts. The medical bay was nearly perfectly clean and all the drawers an bins were full of supplies. Just this room alone would set her up for years. Well that is if the medical drugs were still good. She picked up one of the packets and had no idea what the date meant. She left there and went back to the cockpit. The whole board was lit up in green yellow and red. It didn't take her long to figure out the ship wasn't going anywhere without some serious work.

"I can fix this." Jara declared. "I mean how hard can it be?" Eight hours later she was exhausted. She had only managed to turn six red lights out and a dozen yellows, but just as many came on. She need a break and she smiled as it popped into her head that she could take a shower with no time limit. Her clothing was mostly rags so she raided one of the lockers that had some robe like outfits in them that would fit her. The underwear drew her in as it felt so soft against her rough fingers. She picked up the case that from what she saw were soaps and cleaners from what she could read. The shower worked even if nothing else did on the ship. Never had she taken more than a bath from a bucket or used clean water like this. Years of dusk and grime fell away and she used things to take away excess skin and smooth out her hair. The drying phase shocked her and tickled every inch of her body as it gave her shivers. For the first time in ages she had her hair combed out and loose. She though of cutting it, but her mother had long hair. The underwear felt even better as it slid up her legs it fit perfectly and the top held her small breast snugly. She could barely tell they were there. The leggings and tight top was different and as she got the robe one she knew it was armored in some way, but it didn't restrict any of her movements. However it was too warm to wear at the moment. She took off the robe and left the under garments on. Still it felt odd to her to reveal so much skin. What bothered her more was how smooth her skin became and soft. She spent the next few hours trying to dig her way out, but more sand would just come in. However she did find the lightsaber before she went to sleep.

Finding out that the ship had rations was a nice surprise finding out they tasted like sand wasn't a surprise. Then again if she knew how old they were then she never would have touched them. Three days later she managed to get the computer up and running and it sped up her repairs as she could look up what needed to be fixed. As she ate her sand soap she felt a chill.

"Young one, listen..." The ghost Calif urged. Oh no I am hearing things again she thought, but then again the voice did get her out of the bigger ship, but it trapped her here.

"I am listening." Jara replied.

"Follow..." She got up and followed the ghost into the port hold. "Enter code, red 47..." This con fused her but one of the panels glowed for a moment. A few minutes later she found the catch and a keypad revealed itself. She entered the code and the whole panel popped open. Inside was a space suit from all the tubes. The shelves held different types of blasters and there was a rack of vibroswords. However the lightsabers drew her eyes and the crystals of all types. Just one of those would buy a years worth of rations or more and there were a whole drawer full of them. However she felt a power emanating from all the crystals. There was suddenly no way that she was going to get rid of them. Each crystal was of a different color or size though most were shaped the exact same shape. The two lightsaber hilt drew her attention again as one was a golden red much like bronze and the other was a silvery blue metallic color. Both must have taken weeks to craft compared to the simple black cylinder that held the red blade. Above those hilts were three objects one red pyramid, one blue cube and one a light purple almost white twelve sided object. She picked up the middle one and it felt warm.

"Good... concentrate... open it...with the... Force." the ghost urged. She looked it over and couldn't find anyway to open it. What she wondered about was what was this Force that he mentioned. She set the item down and picked up one of the others. The blue one felt warm as well and the red was cold enough to give her chills. This one felt angry compared to the calm of the other two. The blue one didn't feel right either as it felt like a nothing calm. The middle one felt warm, but not void of anything. It reminded her of her mother. She picked up the lightsaber and it was easy to turn on and the blades matched the colors of the hilt. She hooked them both to her belt and left the old red blade on the shelf. She shut the compartment before going to the room with only one bed. "Open it and you will awaken..."

"How do I do that? I see no latch, or button. No seems either." Jara wondered.

"Meditate..." Calif hissed. She rolled her eyes and put the block down. She had a ship to fix. She could 'meditate' later. The ghost didn't give up and he haunted her constantly moaning a whispering to her she could block him out and over the few hours she slowly couldn't concentrate.

"Fine I'll do it." She stated in exasperation. It wasn't so easy but the ghost finally shut up. She followed what the elders had taught her, but it wasn't until she remembered her mother doing the same thing and she remembered how she had felt back then. She smiled as she changed her breathing just slightly. She felt the object raise off her hand.

"Greeting young one. I am glad your master decide to let you view this holocron. I have much to teach you." Jara's eyes flew open and her jaw dropped. "Now, now no reason to be shocked. This can't be your first time viewing a holocron?" Jara slowly nodded her head. The tiny figure looked confused for a second. "Well then I am impressed that you have come so far to talk to me."

"What are you?" Jara was finally able to ask.

"This is a holocron and I am Mical the gate keeper for this holocron. In the absence of a master I will teach you what I can but only if you remain in balance. We all have emotions, but it is up to you to keep them in check or use them wisely. Emotions can strengthen you or weaken your ability to use the Force." Mical explained. "You have learned the first lesson of calm balance."

"I found you on a ship. I don't even know what the Force is." Jara replied.

"Ah the Force. Think of it as energy that holds us together and binds us to life like gravity keeps you on the ground. You can use it to do things that normal people can not. Jump higher run faster. Move out of the way of danger before it happens. As you grow you will be able to lift objects in the air or send them flying at a target or pull someone from a hole just like a rope. As you gain mastery you may start to see visions of the future or heal others from wound quickly or diseases that are beyond a doctor's knowledge. You could even change a person's mind, stopping them from doing something violent, but such skills can carry a stiff price. There are three schools of learning. One is the Ashla or the light side, the second is the Bogan or the dark side, and the third is Bendu or balance. A Bendu Adept uses the Force as a whole. This holocron is dedicated to both sides and all the colors in between. The path is longer, harder, and weaker, but in the end you will become stronger than either side." Mical explained. "You can use your power to serve the people or yourself. It doesn't restrict you to any rigid code."

"Does this Bendu follow a code?" Jara asked.

"Yes shall I teach you the three codes?" Mical answered with another question.

"Yes I am curious." Jara replied. Mical smiled as he looked like he was setting up a desk. Jara giggled thinking this was funny.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

There is no death, there is the Force."

"That is the code of the light side. That is the code of the Jedi. Now the next one."

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.

Through passion, I gain strength.

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory.

Through victory, my chains are broken.

The Force shall free me."

"This is the code of the Sith, and finally the last code that was at one point part of the jedi code. However it was used primarily by the Jed'aii."

"Emotion, yet peace.

Ignorance, yet knowledge.

Passion, yet serenity.

Chaos, yet harmony.

Death, yet the Force."

"This is the code of the Bendu follower." Mical explained. "Do you have any questions?"

"The first two seem to conflict with the other. They feel flawed." Jara replied.

"Ah yes they are flawed everyone of them. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. The first denies the self and emotion. They can become slaves of the Force as they serve others. It is not such a bad thing, but certain decisions will always weaken a follower of the light side. A true follower is cold to the world. The second claims to use the Force to free them, but it drives them into the chains of power and greed. Destructive the dark side is. The third tries to balance the two realizing the one can not function without the other. It is up to that persons personal morals and code in how they use the Force. They may follow the Force, but in no way does it control them. However maintaining that balance is harder than it looks as many lean more to the Jedi way then the Sith way. Think of one as peace and the other as war. In the middle is compassionate justice." Mical explained. "Would you like to learn more?"

"Yes I would." Jara replied. Mical talked for hours until she could no longer hold her eyes open. As the days went on she worked on the ship and listened to the holocron. When it came to learning about lightsabers she was already a step ahead do to her Kali training. When she remembered that there were two other holocrons she found she couldn't open either one of them. She showed Mical.

"Why can't I open them?" Jara asked.

"You should be able to. However you must be careful and understand you could loose your balance. It is not so bad to fall into the light. However if you fall into the darkness it becomes difficult to leave its deceptive embrace." Mical explained. "Now that I know that you have them you will eventually be able to open them and learn what they have to teach you." Jara took him at his word and put the holocrons back. The ship was slowly working properly again, and any other repairs would only come if she had more parts. She knew where they could be found however the ship was buried. She decided it was time to try to fly the ship out. Her only worry was that the ship was too far under the sand. She fired up the repulsorlift and slowly added power. The ship felt like is rose a bit before an alarm sounded and she quickly shut it down.

"Master Mical?" Jara asked as she activated the holocron.

"Yes young one." He replied.

"I am in a ship that is buried by sand. I have tried to raise the ship out, but the sand is too heavy. I fear to push the drives too much as I have ran out of parts to fix it." Jara explained. "I am trapped in the ship and wish to be free."

"I see. Then it is time to teach you how to move things with the Force..." Mical started a lesson that lasted for hours. In the end Jara was able to move things around the ship, but lifting the whole ship was a problem. She had every confidence that she could do it from the descriptions of massive boulders being lifted by even young Force users as herself. Every day she attempted to lift the ship and every day it would only move slightly. After the second month inside the ship she was starting to get worried. She sighed as she finished the count on the remaining rations.

"Eleven days then I will have no food. I could stretch it out to twenty days, but I need the energy." She mumbled to herself. She doubled her efforts pushing the drives a little bit more and drawing on the Force to lift the ship. As her supply dwindled down to one last meal she was feeling pretty defeated. Still she would free herself. She fired up the engines and then drew on the Force feeling every part of the ship. She started to sweat as the ship shook violently around her and she screamed out as she got angry.

"Yes... Use your anger... It will set you free..." The ghost whispered. Jara focused on her anger and began to hate being trapped inside this ship. She focused the sudden strength and pulled on the ship. It shook even more and she felt it rise a few feet before she lost her concentration as joy filled her. She wasn't discouraged and suddenly wondered if she could use this joy she felt as much as the anger. She concentrated on the feeling and felt the ship rise even more. The the sand fell from the view ports and she was blinded by the sun. The ship crashed back down, but it was free of the sand. She rushed to the ramp and struggled out the halfway free opening. The wave of the late afternoon sun washed over her like a warm blanket. She looked at the old wrecks and then at the half buried ship.

If she could fly getting into the wreckage would be easy. Once her clan had guns they could wipe out the droids and claim both ships. There would be plenty. Enough to get Dillar Clan to help them as well. She called up the Force and pushed at the sand in the direction of the week wind. Like a large blower the top of the ship was soon free of the sand and she rushed back inside. Moving the lever to the repulsorlift drive and the ship raised without her help. She tilted it forward and flew the ship in the direction of her speeder. She landed and was sure she had the right spot, but her speeder was gone. It made her sad, but not too much. She fully understood that it had been too long. Yet it was late and it would be difficult to find the outpost in the dark she assumed. She could last a day without food. It wouldn't be the first time, and probably not the last. She looked at the ship and smiled as she finally knew the name of the ship, Ebon Hawk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Jara returns to her clan and offers up weapons and a way to loot an untouched wreck right under the noses of the droids. Tor uses his knowledge to make a bid for leadership of the clan and pulls people to his side. Jara has no choice but to challenge his claim as he tries to claim her ship as well.**

Chapter Two Touching the Darkness

Finding the scavenger camp wasn't too hard and Jara could have found it at night now that she thought about the lights that they used to help lone scavy to find the camp. She had the full armor on and a piece of cloth to hid her face. Her former headgear was lost, but the cloth would have to do and combined with the hood covered her face enough. The eye wear was a nice find and she soon discovered its full benefit as it widened her view giving the ability to see almost behind herself. She landed the craft and saw the scavengers of the Pilar and Dillar Clans. The ramp dropped and she walked out hoping that the armor didn't reveal that she was a young woman. Then again she felt more than confident to handle the reveal. She felt a mix of fear, curiosity, and greed cross the minds close to her. She eyed Tor and Farn along with the two clan leaders, Pila and Dill. They had other names in the past, but clan leaders were named for their clans.

"Greetings traveler, have you come to trade?" Pila stated as he saw the two crates she levitated down the ramp. She had seen hover pallets, but the ship lacked them. She let the crates drop and stepped forward.

"Clan Leader Pila I am no stranger. I am Jaric and this is my loot." Jara replied. The Ooo's and Whoa's of the growing crowd complimented the awe they felt.

"Jaric is long dead." Tor declared. "You are not dressed as our clan."

"My clothing was ripped off of me as I fought and fled from the droids." Jara countered. "I found these fit me well enough."

"But we saw you get blown up." Gila asked stepping up next to his father.

"I survived by falling into this ship. It took me a long time to dig it out of the ground. I give these crates to the clan leaders of Pilar and Dillar. I also have a plan to make both clans rich." Jara boldly stated. "And Gila you know me better than anyone. Do you not recognize my voice?"

"I do and I believe you." Gila replied as he came closer feeling doubtful. "But I can not see your eyes." Jara smiled and lifted the visor up. She then winked at him. He looked shocked and then smiled. She felt he really wanted to hug her, and only her raised hand prevented him from making such an error. "I can't believe it, but this is Jaric."

"Then where are your Kali. Did you lose those as well?" Tor growled. Jara reached back and threw them at his feet.

"I have something better and so do you all." Jara replied as she flipped the lids off of the crates. "Blasters, enough for sixteen clansmen to join me. There is untouched loot in those ships and the droids are no match for us up close. This ship will get us inside where they can't use their tanks." Jara picked her sticks back up. They served the purpose to get more to listen to her.

"Blasters? They must be ancient. How could they even work?" Dill questioned. Jara pulled out her blaster and shot into the air.

"They work. Now can I get some rations? I am starving." Jara requested.

We don't have enough to pay for these weapons." Pila replied.

"I said these were a gift, clan leader. Here this is for you. I cleaned and serviced it and you know it works. This is the safety and I want a weeks worth of rations for it." Jara offered her blaster to him. Tor came closer to view the weapon as well.

"I took you in and you give me nothing?" Tor complained. She could feel his anger and then his greed grew as he glanced at the ship. "Then again you are unwed, so what you find is also mine."

"I don't think so cousin. I survived in the desert for two moons. I am free of obligation. Plus you declared me dead." Jara countered.

"Being trapped inside a ship is not surviving the desert, but I will let you keep half of what's in the ship for you to buy your bride." Tor declared.

"Over my dead body." Jara countered as she stepped back.

"You know the rules Jaric. He has the right to claim half of the loot as he has supported you." Pila reminded her. "You are too young to own such a ship. Better that it is sold for the benefit of the clan."

"The sale price of this ship would make Tor clan leader. Do you really want that Pila?" Dill stated.

"The weapons alone are worth more than some old ship that barely flies." Pila replied. "No lets go discuss this plan of yours to make our clans rich young Jaric."

"You do that and I am going to inspect my ship." Tor declared as he walked up the ramp. With a slight movement of her wrist she reached out with the Force and the hatch closed in his face. "Hey open this door."

"I told you it is my ship you can have everything that is inside except for what's in my cabin." Jara declared.

"We will discuss this later." Tor growled knowing he couldn't win without losing. Not that it wasn't uncommon for a guardian to beat their charges in public. This drove a bit of fear in her chest as she felt his anger. He had beaten her before and those scars were still fresh. Four clansmen came forward and picked up the crates. Jara saw the confused look one of the clansmen gave her as she walked by. He was too proud to ask where the controls were. She couldn't tell him there wasn't any, and even then she could claim it was the ship that made them lighter. They may just believe it. Gila came real close to her.

"If you want to keep the ship you are going to have to fight him." Gila warned.

"I know, but I am stronger than you think." Jara whispered back. Food was laid out and Jara was drooling by the time she got her bowl. She recounted her fight with the droids leaving out the ghost that had helped her or the lightsaber. The story alone got her another bowl of food and a strong drink. She was smart enough to only take a sip or two. Keeping to the water. However she wished it was water from the ship as it now tasted bad to her. Then she told them of her plan to land in the opening on top of the wreckage with anyone who would come with. The Ebon Hawk couldn't carry both clans, but she could see thirty to fifty coming along.

"I like your plan Jaric when would you like to carry it out?" Pila wondered.

"Is it not close to noon?" Jara asked. "Best to do it now. There are things that must be unloaded from the ship, but with both clans here it shouldn't take but minutes."

"Then we can go now." Pila stated. Then he thought for a second. "However we don't know what condition the weapons are in. I doubt they will fire."

"I cleaned a serviced them just like the blaster you are wearing. They will fire." Jara countered. Pila got up and called out fifteen clansmen. He like Dill spread the wealth by only having one family member. Jara glanced over and saw Gila arguing with Farn and then she saw him smile as he won the conversation. Gila stepped forward in place of his father.

"I will go for my family." Gila told Pila.

"Very well. You all have five minutes to get your gear." He ordered and the men ran off. Tor followed Jara back to the ship as his gear was on his speeder close to the ship. She didn't want him on the ship but the ones that were not picked were eager to unload the Ebon Hawk. Gila was back before she opened the hatch. She had locked the one door to her cabin and to the cockpit, and engine room. She then turned and held up her hand.

"The only things that need come off are already in crates. The shelves and cabinets contain parts for this ship only and we may need them. That goes for the two dormitories as well. You don't have time to take any thing else off the ship, so you can put your tools away." Jara explained. She turned trusting they would do as she suggested. The crates came off the ship quickly. The women went straight to the dorms and the bundles of clothing quickly disappeared as well. None of it was armor and Jara had separated the good stuff. The secret compartment was packed with other things she didn't want to give up.

"I really like my ship." Tor stated as he came on board. "Even looks clean."

"I doubt that you will be able to do anything with this ship. I voice locked everything." Jara countered. Tor growled, but she had stepped away as the other clansmen came on board. "Gila please join me. I have a gift for you." He stepped up to her as she opened her cabin. He stepped inside and the door slammed shut. Tor saw that she didn't speak to the door and he tried the hatch to the cockpit and nothing happened. Jara could hear him complain as she grabbed Gila and tore both their mouth covers down just before she kissed him. He was shocked at first until he relaxed and he finally returned the kiss.

"Wow now that is some greeting gift." Gila stated. "But I don't think this will work out."

"Gila it will and once we are gone from here it won't matter. Scavenging those wrecks is my parting gift to the clans and this is my gift to you." Jara countered as she handed him a blaster. "This is also yours as well I think it will all fit you." She pointed to some armor laid out on the bed.

"I don't know what to say?" Gila was stunned and his smile was all the payment Jara needed.

"Cover up we can't be in here too long. I want you in the cockpit with me." Jara replied as she put the holster around his waist. She covered up again and he checked her as she checked him. They both took a deep breath before she opened the door.

"About time it is almost noon." Tor complained, but Jara could feel he was angry for other reasons. If he could only see her eyes he would have struck her. She walked the few steps to the other hatch.

"Jaric lock release cockpit hatch." She stated and the hatch opened. Tor followed her along with Gila, Pila, and Dill. She could feel Tor's anger rise as he found himself standing. She thought of turning the inertia dampener off as they took off to make him fall, but resisted. She was pushing his buttons and there was nothing he could do. The ship rose and she bee lined it back to the wrecks flying low. She still wasn't comfortable flying the ship, but the simulator had given her and edge over the others. She slowed the ship to a hover and scanned the area. No droid movement could be detected and she goosed it forward and rose at the same time before dropping in the large hole in the top of the ship. As she figured there was enough room to land. Pila was quick to set up three man teams. Jara wound up with Gila like she planned, but didn't want Tor with her but he was one of those given a rifle.

"Um any advice, Jaric?" A clansman asked.

"Shoot any droids you see and then hurry back here. Call on the comms if you can, but I think the ship will block most of the signals, so don't count of it warning the others." Jara warned.

"We know of the dangers boy." A clansman replied. Many of the others nodded or grunted in agreement.

"You all have two hours. Gather what you can don't take anything apart as I am sure there is plenty just laying around." Pila added.

"Or you will be left." Dill finished. Jara dropped the ramp and they all moved out. Tor looked at Gila and Jara.

"Come on let them run around. I have been in a ship like this I know where the good stuff is." Tor growled. "And you better not slow us down, Jaric." He shoved Jara as he went by. He glared suddenly back at her as she gave him a look as he made her angry. He just smiled and then laughed. They followed him and as the passageways went dark their lamps were pulled out. Jara really didn't need the extra light as her visor enhanced her vision. He took them past several storage areas and slowly Jara remembered where she was. It was one of the areas she ran through but the damaged droids were gone. A full hour went by before they came to a large set of doors.

"Time to get to work." Tor growled.

"It has been an hour we don't have time to open this door." Gila countered.

"So what work faster. The pump is over there." Tor pointed to a small panel. I am going inside to sort what we will take, but we'll need the whole door open. Now get to it." He opened the small door and squeezed through.

"Come on Gila. You don't want to cross him when he is like this." Jara warned. They worked the pump hard and Jara thought the whole time that she could open the door with the Force, but she was afraid to use it in front of anyone. Even Gila might not understand. Yet she used it in little ways which made the resistant pump work better as she was able to add more strength then she could ever do without it. Still it took fifteen minutes of their time. They could hear Tor grunting inside and he soon had a hover pallet half full of small crates. They came in to help finish loading the pallet. No words were needed, but Jara put the last one on and something inside clinked together.

"Be careful." Tor hissed.

"Does it even work?" Gila asked.

"Sure it does." Tor declared as he toed the switch and the Pallet rose off the deck. "Now you two start pushing."

"We'll all need to push." Jara replied.

"I got the blaster so I need my arms free. Now push. That way." He pointed in the direction they didn't come from. Gila and Jara looked at each other and they both shrugged. The time ticked down and Jara felt that they would run out of time sooner then the two hours, but Tor must have taken a longer route to get to the vault. He looked up a lift shaft and then down. "Now this is where it gets interesting." He stated as he climbed on top of the pallet.

"Can you explain?" Gila wondered.

"Simple you will push the pallet into the lift shaft as I increase the power. The pallet will rise up the shaft to the hanger above. Then you two climb up as it rises. When it is high enough I will push on the wall and the pallet will slide right on to the ship." Tor explained. He directed them both and the pallet started to rise off the floor as it entered the shaft. When it started to tip, Tor reached down and hit the switch and it started to rise. Slowly at first and then with more speed though it was still slow. Yet fast enough that the two young scavy didn't have to wait for it to go further. Jara's senses were slowly telling her something was wrong. They needed to move faster. Gila was ahead of her and she felt that they needed to hurry, but the pallet was rising as fast as it would go. She reached out with the Force and started adding her power to the pallet. It rose faster and she continued climbing but much slower then before so not to break her concentration.

"Jaric hurry up." Gila urged.

"Almost there." Tor stated. "Get ready to slide the pallet over the edge. Jara felt that Tor was trying to slow the pallet down and she let go. It sank a bit and Tor cursed, but it settled and then rose very slowly. They could hear Tor cursing as he fought with the doors. The metal screamed as he shoved one open. Then he paused and the pallet rose a bit and then sank again as the other door screamed open. "Alright now help move it out." Gila and Jara grabbed the bottom of the pallet and it was difficult to find any hand holds as the pallet pushed away their hands. They could hear Tor grunting. The pallet finally cleared the door and slowly rose until Tor adjusted the controls. "This is going to be good. I bet no one will equal this feat."

He laughed like he was maddened and Jara felt his greed. She also felt hate, glee and a sense that he was going to get revenge. This confused her and she didn't know who he could hate so much. Sure he didn't like her, but she was soon free of him, so she couldn't think of any other reason. They just barely made it to the ship by the end of the two hours. Loot was being loaded into the ship and most of them had returned. Then what Jara had been feeling happened. She felt someones pain right after the ship shivered under everybody's feet.

"What was that?" One of the clansman asked. Many pulled out their blasters or Kali sticks. Minutes passed and then Pila came running.

"Hurry I need three men to follow. Tiras and Horn are trapped." Pila ordered. Jara was the first to step forward which made Gila come as well. A large clansman stepped forward as well. "No Riel you are too big. Jaric and Gila are small enough. Jial you will do."

"No one take my loot or I will take it out of your hid." Jial warned. A few of the other clansmen chuckled. They followed after Pila and he was running full tilt. It took only a few minute before Jara started to hear the one man moaning. She reached out to him and tried to find the other. She gasped as she felt he was already dead.

"Quick climb through there. They have to be on the other side." Pila ordered. "It shouldn't be too hard to find another way back."

"Horn is already dead." Jara mumbled.

"We leave no one behind and you can't know that." Pila countered. Now get up there." Jial climbed up and snaked his way through. Gila followed him and then Jara. The rubble was not easy to get through and Jara's hood caught on nearly everything. She went so far and then she was stuck. She released the clasps leaving the cloak behind. She had another one on the ship so it wouldn't be so bad. The loose wires and other pieces snagged her make shift head wrappings, but she ignored it. Tiras was dying and they needed to get to him. Jial was a tough clansman, but he reeled away from the body of Horn. Jara saw all the blood and it sickened her as well, and she could see a lot more than the other two with their weak lights. She spotted Tiras first and like she was trained she started to treat his wounds as did Gila. Jial joined in after he voided his stomach. She didn't think twice about removing the rest of her covering and the lower part of her robes to bind different wounds. She felt the Force well up in her and she could feel herself heal him as what the holocron had been teaching her came to mind.

"We won't be able to dig Horn out and you were right Jaric he is dead. His family will get his cut." Jial stated. He then reached over and pulled the chain off of his neck.

"We need to move him fast." Gila warned. "We don't have much time."

"We need to get him back to the ship it has a medical bay." Jara added. They all took a hold of him and rushed down the hall. After a few turns they managed to meet up with Pila. He looked at each of them and his eyes flared as he saw Jara, but he didn't see more than that her face was exposed. Gila was half uncovered as was Jial so it wasn't that unusual. He took a leg from Jial and they moved a bit faster.

"What about Horn?" Pila asked.

"Dead, cut him in half." Gila replied. Jial wavered as his stomach heaved. In a rush they came into the hanger and rushed straight up the ramp. Jara lead them to the medical bay and didn't see the shock that some of the men gave her. The bright light revealed her finer features. She knew where most of the supplies were and she rushed around as Viyo joined them. He was an older clansman, and the one most went to when they had an injury. He glanced once at Jara, but kept his mouth shut. Jara worked from the lesser wounds up to the large gash in his stomach. Only luck had saved him from being gutted. She used hopefully sanitized water from one of the bottles to wash the wound out and quickly started to staple the wound closed. Viyo was busy with threading some string and he started sewing another cut closed as they faintly heard blaster fire.

"Jaric we have to go. The droids are here!" Dill came in as she finished applying the last staple.

"Go I got this." Viyo added. She didn't want to leave him but the fire fight started to increase enough that she reached out and felt the danger. She ran to the cockpit and started flipping switches and pressing buttons as the engines started up. A few seconds later she felt the gravity lighten as the artificial gravity came online. The weak sounds of the fire fight died as the ramp closed. Then the fire made her jump as it started hitting the view screen. As the ship rose she flipped a lever and the shields came on blocking the fire from two droidekas opened fire. She pulled back on the lever and the ship rose up in the air and she threw the ship forward as it cleared the edge. Gila was the only one to join her in the cockpit.

"Viyo thinks that Tiras will survive. You medical supplies saved his life." Gila reported as he sat down.

"I know, but he will not be thanking us just yet. Plus when we get to the camp some of his stitching will need to be done over." Jara replied. "I could have done better."

"Hey I thought it looked okay and if Viyo doesn't complain it is good enough." Gila stated. "You are pretty."

"Gila someone could hear." Jara hissed as she finally realized how exposed her face was. "Plus I look like a boy."

"No I have seen my sisters, and you look like them." Gila remarked and Jara blushed. He laughed and then blushed himself. She felt he was thinking strangely. Like he wanted... No not that, but... would it be okay? She thought. Her face burned before she got a damper on her feelings. This was not the time to think about this. She hoped that no one else would come in as it was obvious that she looked like a girl and she couldn't be discovered before she got her share of the loot. This brought to mind what Tor had recovered and she didn't know anything more than it made him radiate greed.

"Please go in my cabin and bring me the cloak in the locker and something to cover my face." Jara asked.

"Okay." He replied as he got up. She fretted until he came back with the cloak and something in his other hand. She hit the autopilot and stood long enough to wrap the cloak around her and fasten it. He handed the item to conceal her face and she blushed as it was one of her pairs underwear. How he thought this would work was beyond her. She stuffed it in a pocket and pulled the hood over her head.

"You better fix your coverings." Jara stated.

"Are you not going to cover your face?" Gila asked.

"Not with that. You wear that to cover your butt." Jara replied and it was Gila's turn to blush. Jara giggled and then put her hand over her mouth. She shook her head as thoughts of putting them on his head came to her. She wanted to laugh some more, but she heard boots on the deck behind her.

"You need to fly faster." Tor ordered.

"Yes sir." Jara replied. She took back over and hoped he wouldn't pull her hood down. She sighed in relieve quietly as she heard him sit down. He stayed there for a few minutes until the camp came into view. Jara landed nearly in the middle of the camp as other clansmen and women came closer. She busied herself with shutting down the ship and then locking the controls. Tor may think the ship is his, but he wasn't going to get it. She needed to lock a few more things like the hyperdrive and the communications system. There was not telling what the logs held. Gila remained with her and when she got up he went ahead of her until she could slip into her cabin and find something to cover her face. There was this tube thing that covered her hair and a scarf. It was thicker and she felt it would be difficult to breath, but she didn't have much of a choice. She looked in the mirror and was satisfied.

The ship was being quickly unloaded and Jara looked in on Tiras and Viyo nodded to her. He had hooked up the monitors and the man's vitals looked okay, or at least she thought so as they were in the green areas. She then turned and made it to the ramp. The loot was being opened and being counted. Tor came down the ramp acting all tall and proud as he pushed the pallet out. She could feel his smug pride and that he was going to do something, but she wasn't sure what. This distracted her from the looks the other clansmen were giving her.

"Pila it has been too long that your family has ruled our clan." Tor declared. "Too long and weak."

"You can not challenge me now. This loot was agreed upon to be divided equally and if it wasn't for Jaric's ship we wouldn't have it at all." Pila replied. "Don't make a fool of yourself."

"He is my ward so the ship is mine. As far as whether this loot is equally divided I also challenge. My father lead us to this ship and the one before it. He lead our clansmen in a battle that claimed it from the Rilar Clan. He taught me the best places to find valuable loot and this pallet has more than the rest of you combined and its value is higher than it as well. With this we can move to one of the better ships or take over some of the weaker clans to make us strong enough to take those droid cursed ships." Tor explained. He then opened one of the crates and dumped it out at Pila's feet. "Aurodium coins are enough to take the leadership from you and make this clan stronger than the rest." The clansmen all gasped at just the one crate of sparkling coins.

"It was agreed to split the loot." Dill replied. "Your knowledge makes no difference."

"I disagree, and I am sure there are those clansmen that will agree with me. I plan on getting the rest of them from that ship." Tor declared. "Then again if I don't get leadership then it will stay there and there is two more piles about this size still there and all we have to do is take it." Jara felt this was bad. Tor was only kept in check because he was not the leader and now it came clear to her why he felt like he was going to get revenge. His father lost leadership to Pila during a fight. She knew if he could get enough of the other clansmen to agree then Pila had only two options step down peacefully or to duel him. Tor was bigger and younger than Pila so only his experience may allow him to win. Tor was one of the better fighters, so she wasn't sure who would win. Greed was one thing all scavy can agree on and this slowly drew the clansmen into two groups. Jara looked at Dill as it looked like even some of his clansmen were willing to stand with Tor. The arguing broke out and then certain challenges were declared and slowly over an hour the decision was clear. Jara felt a shift as Pila stepped forward.

"I have lead this clan forward and in the last few years my leadership has lead to few conflicts with the other clans. Clan Dillar's partnership with us has strengthened us more and few of the clans can support so many. If you side with Tor do you really want to go back to the way things were? Do you want to bring back the battles of fighting over wreckage with another clan?" Pila questioned. "Sure the metal there is pretty, but it will not last long. A few years at most. Those droids number in the hundreds. More than any of the fighters here. It would be a battle we can not win."

"We have weapons and from the look of it we have gained more. In what Jaric brought in and what little we brought today puts a good blaster in the hands of a hundred clansmen. A few more trips and there will be a blaster for all. Not to exclude the mines and grenades that are inside." Tor countered. "Jaric you got your weapons from my ship. What did you say you left behind?"

"Another crate of twenty rifles and an armory with five more crates, but the explosives are too old. Dangerous to handle." Jara replied. "And it is my ship. No one else can fly it." Tor chuckled but ignored her claim.

"And that I am sure is just one of the armories on that ship. Just imagine what we will find on the droid ship. I can get us those weapons and then we fight the droids. Join with me or I will go to Oillar and Nilar clans and offer the same." Tor threatened. Jara felt them shift some more and even a duel wouldn't bring them back now. Jara wanted to do something, but she didn't know, maybe if she could challenge him? It was her ship and without they wouldn't be able to gather more weapons. Sure they could go in like she did, but with the last two times she was sure the droids would start to remain in the other ship or react faster. Then again they might not. She got the impression they were not very smart for droids.

"Tor I know you and I stand with Pila. He has lead our clan wisely. I challenge you to a dual. If you win I will fly the Ebon Hawk for you and fight against these droids. I will be your most loyal supporter. If I win you leave the clan." Jara declared. Tor chuckled and many looked at him in disgust. This caused a few to start to move to Pila again. Tor broke out in a full out barking laugh one that many knew would be followed by anger.

"Woman you dare to challenge me!" Tor yelled and many froze in place. Jara froze herself in shock. He wasn't one to hold back on such knowledge. He should have revealed her earlier. "Enough of the looting party saw you without cover. Enough said you looked like a girl and not a boy. The clothing you now wear is different and I can now see that you walk differently. I didn't see it before, but it all makes sense. You have no say in this clan, and with being a woman pretending to be a man means exile in the worst form."

"You call me a woman you Bantha shit." Jara replied as she found her voice. However it came out higher than she normally talked. The clan shifted even more to Tor and she could feel his head get even bigger. The only way now to correct his challenge was to expose a penis and she didn't have one. He grinned and then charged. Jara pulled out her sticks just in time to block his attack. He was savage in his attacks and she could barely avoid them. She called on the Force, but he hit her hard and the pain made it hard to control it. She had no time to think and he had hit her six times before she was able to hit him once. He was nearly chasing her around as she used the crates to block most of his attacks. The fight went on and he scored a few more times. She hurt and she was afraid of him more than ever. He knocked one of her sticks away and then after hitting her a few times the other flew away as he hit hard enough that she though he broke her wrist.

"I have been wanting to get rid of you for years. Just like I got rid of your parents." Tor whispered lower then the shouting. Jara's eyes went wide and then she got angry.

"Do it..." Calif suddenly spoke in her mind. Tor dropped his Kali and grabbed her lifting her by her neck. He ripped her cover off her head and her long braid came with it. He squeezed her throat closed.

"Look at her hair so long. What a waste. What a useless woman." He shook her and her visor went flying, and they all started chanting.

"Kill her!" over and over again.

"Do it... Kill him... gain revenge for your family..." The ghost hissed. Jara vision started to go black and she resisted as her anger grew. She stopped struggling as the strength made her stronger. She didn't need to breath as she reached in her robe for one of the lightsabers and pointed it at Tor and smiled as she hit the button. The yellow bronze blade burst from his back and then ran down. Tor dropped her as he backed away in shock. She pushed the blade to the side opening him up and then pushed with her other hand. He flew up in the air and landed twenty feet way. Dead before he got there.

"I am stronger than you." Jara stated. "I am Jara and I am a woman. However I have avenged my family. Tor killed my mother and my father, and I will kill any of you who think I am weak!" The clansmen backed up a few steps as she climbed on top of one of the crates. "I was the one who beat Yinar. I was the one who out of all of you braved the droid infested wreckage and came back with a ship of my own. I am the only one who can fly this ship. I am the one who as a woman beat Tor. Though none of that matters now as only this does." Jara raised the lightsaber in the air and then reached out with the Force and picked up Tor's body. She made a fist and his body was pulled in two. She smiled as many of the clansmen moved to one side away from Dill and Pila. She had won them over and it felt good. Many of the clanswomen that witnessed Tor's defeat and heard here declare she was a woman moved to her side as well. Even against the clansmen that stood with Dill and Pila. They had a choice to remain or join her side. They followed their wives. She grinned in her victory. Then she saw that Gila had not joined her side. This stuck her hard and she suddenly felt all her wounds. She reached out and drew her visor to her hand and put them back on to hide her eyes. She need to heal and she stormed into the ship and the ghost laughed in her mind.


	3. Chapter 3 To touch the Darkness

Her hate and anger vanished as it was replaced with fear and loathing. They were an echo of what the crowd was feeling. This wasn't how she thought they would react and she had seen many battles and the few she fought in the sense of victory was not there. With Gila not joining her side she felt that she had lost way more than anything she had ever experienced. She had broke the rules by impersonating a male. Sure her parents had started it, but she had continued. She had plenty of time to have come out as a female, but she never did. Now that she was discovered she fought as a man and by all rights was losing. Kalima fights were suppose to prevent the combatants from dying as this world was hard enough to survive. Tor should have won. Then again she was not the first to lose their Kalima in a fight and pull out another blade, so it wasn't unheard of. The fact that she was a woman was not going to go over well. All this she thought about as she changed. With knowing that she was female she didn't need the armor or the padding and she picked out the white outfit she discovered within one of the lockers. It hugged her slowly forming hips and the breast holder added lift a bit of size to her chest at the same time of holding them snug. It felt loose to her. The black boots she found remained along with the black gloves and bracers. The outfit was cut with a black utility belt. She changed out her visor as the one she wore helped with working on the ship for some reason and linked with the belt and gloves. Her wrist throbbed so she finally went to the medical bay to see if it was broken.

"Who are you." Viyo asked.

"I am Jara. I used to be Jaric." She hissed. The old man chuckled.

"About time you came out of you wrappings." He replied.

"Wait you knew?" Jara wondered.

"Yes I helped give birth to you. You look very much like you mother. She wasn't much for all the covering up and only started as you got older to help you hide more. She felt that if they could see you fight as an equal with the other men then they might accept that a woman is more than a child bearer, but she didn't understand our ways." Viyo explained.

"I just defeated and killed Tor." Jara confessed with no pride in her voice, just guilt. Why did she feel guilty now. He had treated her harshly for so long it was a relief to have him gone.

"I heard the fighting and the felt the shock of your win. I didn't know who was fighting. What was it over?" Viyo asked.

"Clan leadership. Tor wanted to take both clans away from Dill and Pila. I challenged him, he won the fight and then tried to kill me. I killed him instead." Jara explained.

"You fought him as a Kalima fighter should?" Viyo questioned.

"Yes, until the end I killed him with this." Jara pointed out the lightsaber on the belt.

"Then you made many mistakes. One was trying to fight Tor on his terms when you are so much more. Have you learned what you can do not to use it?" Viyo asked. "I can feel that you have awakened yourself to the Force."

"Wait you know the Force too? Are you a Jedi?" Jara asked in wonder.

"No I was trained a bit here and there in healing is all. Now take off those gloves and let me look at that hand." Viyo suggested. Jara was surprised that he had noticed, but then again if he could use the Force then he must have felt it. Ah yes it is broken, but you are not going to have to wait. I can help you heal this and your other wounds. Now center yourself..." Jara sighed and as she calmed herself she found it difficult as her anger tried to grow again. With Viyo adding his calm demeanor to hers it didn't last for long. She felt the pain go away and the aching feelings for every place Tor had hit her. Many of the bruises were protected from further injury by the armor and had she not had it on it would have gone much differently. Lastly she literally felt the bone knitting back together and her eyes widened as they both glowed.

"Thank you." Jara stated as she flexed the hand before putting the gloves back on.

"Oh don't thank me you did most of the work. I just guided you, clan leader, or would you be Pilara or Dila now?"

"I didn't take the clans. I fought Tor to prevent him from taking over." Jara countered.

"You may have done that. However how many moved to your side? I felt many did and even out of fear. That fear will make you clan leader now. They will follow you even if you are a female." Viyo stated.

"But I don't want them to fear me." Jara replied.

"Then you should have freed yourself from Tor and not killed him. You would have survived and he, though he won would have lost not being able to kill a rebellious female." Viyo explained. "But your anger made you the victor. You first decision should be to go out there and pick your sub leaders. I am sure you can decide." Jara didn't want to do anything. She wanted to pull out the holocron and dive into her training. The urge to try to open the Sith holocron whispered in her mind. The ghost Calif was urging her to do so, but her duty was clear and it would hurt the clan for her to remain in here too long.

"Thank you Viyo. You have much wisdom." Jara replied and did something she never would have done before as she kissed him on the forehead. He just chuckled and turned back to watching Tiras, but now that she knew she felt him use the Force to trickle a tiny bit of strength into him. Jara got all the way to the ramp before she realized her face wasn't covered. She stood there for a few minutes wondering if she should break another taboo by refusing to cover up ever again. Her upbringing won out as she went back to her cabin. However she didn't have anymore cloth that would properly cover her face. Though she did have a full facial mask. As she took it in her hands she felt the bit of darkness that it held, but she ignored it as she placed it over her face. She felt emboldened as it settled and the grin that grew on her face would have been chilling if anyone could see it. It remained until she walked off the ship. Many still work to separate the loot and Tor's body was gone and the blood mixed with the desert sand. This made her frown as she could still feel it there. The pallet of Aurodium was still half full and other things were added to the pallet. As best as she could tell this would be the clan leader's cut. She looked it over and felt she wanted nor needed none of it.

"You all divide this among the two clans. Leave one full crate to be put back on the ship." She felt odd as her voice was deeper from the masks amplifier. "Make sure it is divided by weight down to the gram as best as it allows. I have enough of the rest of it. However bring a mix of rations to the ship. Thirty days worth for me."

"Yes leader." They replied. Her heart skipped as she had hoped they wouldn't make her their leader, but as she walked through the camp everyone gave her the sign that she had many time gave to Pila. The tent in the middle of the camp was for the clan leaders and she stepped passed the guards as they stiffened. Inside the mask took a bit of time to adjust to the lowered light and she saw Pila and Dill were packing and sorting their belongings.

"I hope you are not trying to leave?" Jara wondered. "I have yet to pick my sub leaders."

"Why would we serve you a woman?" Dill replied. "Or your cursed abilities." The anger was there, but not so much the spite that Tor would have had.

"Because I don't want to lead. I am the one who should be leaving." Jara countered. "Tor set this up and I stopped him as I liked the way the clans were, and I respect both of you. I need your wisdom."

"Those blades of yours will keep all in line. Wisdom will come in time. We cannot remain. We allowed you to be a man instead of the woman you are. You won over the entire clan, both clans. All you need to do is take up the clan name. They will follow you and no one will challenge your strength. No one can." Pila explained. "Greed runs the clans Jara. Those two wrecks have made everyone greedy and only you can get them that loot."

"Then don't leave just yet. Stay on and get your share. I refused all but a small part of mine and they were eager to follow my order. I will leave here soon enough. I don't belong. I never did. The ship will allow me to leave." Jara stated. "That is only one of the reasons you two must stay. Someone must take over when I leave, and only you are acceptable."

"We will think about it, Jara, as you must think about your new name." Dill replied.

"Pila and Dill you have those names and I will not take them from you. I am Jara and then upper clan shall have a new name." She stated. It took her a bit to think and she had no idea what the new name should be then it hit her. Bendular was what came to mind and though it was long as most clan names were short. It seemed to fit better to a larger clan. That it would allow the two clans to balance out. "Pila, Dill the greater clan name shall be Bendular and I shall add the name Bendu to mine, Bendu Jara. You have lead your two clans and we have prospered together in balance of one another. Bendu is the way of balance and also a title. I am a Force user, but I am no Jedi nor am I a Sith. Stay and help me lead."

"We will think on this Bendu." Dill replied. "Give us time."

"I will and thank you." Jara replied. She turned and quickly walked out. She had to talk to Gila and Farn. She had to stop him from leaving as well. As she got to their little tent she was relieved that they were both still there. Gila looked up at her and she felt his fear. It drove straight into her heart and she dropped to her knees which surprised Gila. Then he frowned before hardening his face. Jara took off her mask as Gila's mother gasped. Gila looked at her again with shock. "Gila I didn't mean to..."

"You lost that fight. You lost your life. How can I support a dead woman? How can I support someone who cheated death twice? You died the day you went into that wreck. Someone else came out, but it wasn't Jara the girl I secretly loved. She is gone and only her ghost is in her place. I felt your anger that was displayed on your face, and their fear could be heard from them all. You do lead the clans you have dominated them. My family will have nothing to do with it. We will leave by morning." Gila stated.

"Gila I was scared. I feared for us. I feared for the clans. If Pila or Dill had fought then Tor would have won. I had to do something." Jara replied. "I didn't start that duel to kill him."

"But you cut him in half with your sorcerous blades and then tossed him away like garbage. Tor may have been a mean man, but he was one of the strongest. Just having him with us was enough to deter the other clans. Once they hear a woman leads these clans it will offend them all. We won't just fight one clan we will have to fight them all." Gila explained.

"We are strong and the closest are Oillar and Nilar clans. We can share our loot with them as we loot the droid ships. They will not fight us. Their greed will over power their offense at following a woman." Jara countered. "Please I need you, I love you."

"This clan is dead to me. Tor is dead, as is Jaric. Jara has died as well. You just don't know it yet." Gila stated. "Oillar and Nilar will attack us before the night is upon us." Jara was pained as her head fell. She hated that she could feel his conviction in his heart. To feel that he no longer loved her and truly believed she was dead. She suddenly wanted to hate him. She raised her mask to her face to hide the tears that streamed from her face. She stood up and looked down on him.

"Gila and you family if you think I am dead then you are dead to the Bendular Greater Clan. Let Oillar and Nilar come. I will defeat them. The clan will defeat them. They maybe stronger together, but they will lack the firepower and our might. Any who stand against us shall fall. Any that join with use shall profit." Jara declared. "Best you take your cut and head to the city. You will find no place in the clans. How pathetic you denied a place at my side. How sad that I offered it to you." Jara stormed off and failed to see the tears than streamed down Gila's face. He mourned her and to him she failed to see what this power was doing to her.

As Gila's family left that night the whole forward camp packed up everything they could in the morning. The only thing they left behind was the waste buried under the sand along with Tor's naked body. Jara flew her ship heavily loaded down ahead of the two clans as they went to their villages. She would visit Pilar first to show that she was leader and then to Dillar to do the same. Her orders were simple. They were going to move both villages to the droid site, and within a week a new village sprang up from the desert sand after a well was dug. Four more wells were dug to provide water that to Jara tasted better. The tanks on the Ebon Hawk were fill with this water as a fresh line pumped water directly into the ship's systems. Jara used her growing strength to build high berms surrounding the village and the clansmen used flat bricks to cover them and build their new homes. The Aurodium was used to by food and rations for all and for the first time Jara had a plant of her own and a tree as tall as she was.

She decided not to build a home for herself as the ship was more than enough. A wall did go up around the ship at the center of the village. Everyday she practiced around and under her ship. Many watched her when they though she wasn't looking yet they couldn't know she could see them. She continued to learn from the Bendu holocron and now the Sith holocron. Try as much as she could she couldn't open the Jedi one. She didn't need their weak ways for she had to be strong. After a month the village looked like it had been there for years. Ten kilometers away lay the ship wreckage that would provide for her clan for years. She turned around and smiled at the fifty clansmen who were going to the ship today. All armed with blasters that worked nicely and a few had golden chest pieces from the wreckage. She could have brought a hundred clansmen with the weapons they had gained, but they were left behind to guard the rest. All the women watched them get on the ship before heading back to their brick making. The berm was twenty feet high, but it wouldn't stop a speeder from passing over. However a twenty foot wall on top of it would. Rock would have been better, but they didn't have time to dig down that far. Maybe she would go into the city and buy duracrete to mix with the sandy clay. Was one of the thoughts that came to mind.

They landed in the hanger again the belly gun of the ship protected there emergence from the ship with Jara being the first to leave the ship. She knew they wanted to loot, but that was not the goal as the sections of a generator were unloaded. Getting the lift working again would speed up their efforts and with each section they brought power to meant they could monitor the passageways and control the doors. After two hours the old lift came up to the hanger for the first time since it had crashed on the surface. The generator was concealed behind rubble and only a few of the smaller clansmen could get to it. The hanger was stripped of anything of use to the clan to clean it out. The droids remained out of sight which Jara was disappointed with. She was itching for a fight. As they left she flew around the two ships and one of her clansmen practiced with the turret and she was more than willing to fly the ship in a canted position as he fired on the idle war machines below. I small smile covered her face as she watched one of them explode.

When they flew back the next day the droid had gotten smart and those war machines were no longer in view. Jara frowned at this as it might lead to a confrontation. However there were no droids in the hanger and from what her men reported they didn't pass into the hanger during the night. Now with the lift working they were able to fill up the ship with loot. Everything from an empty crate to inner wall panels. Each day she expected to encounter the droids, but none came. By the end of the second month of her return, a part of the clan spent the night inside the ship, and the wall was complete around the village. Oillar and Nilar did come to them. They had all their clansmen and they were prepared to battle. Jara smiled as she walked out in the open to face the clan leaders.

"I am Nilic, clan leader of Nilar and this is Oila, clan leader of Oillar. We have come to remove this woman from leadership of this disgrace you call a clan!" Nilic yelled. "Are you too afraid that you have to send a boy out to meet us!"

"I am no boy, Nilic. I am Bendu Jara, and you have no hope in defeating me or our clan , Bendular." Jara countered. Her deeper modified voice made Nilic wonder. "Or do you think you will survive my wrath." Both of her lightsabers came to life.

"A Jedi?!" An old clansman of Nilar remarked. "She is no Jedi. They all got killed in the last war."

"You're so right." Jara replied. She drew the Force to her and the sand started to rise all around her. Slowly spinning as she added more and more. Soon a walled cylinder circled around her. "Kneel or die!" Of all the times for a confrontation this one would determine if clan Bendular would grow stronger. The opposing clans didn't stand a chance between her power and the blasters behind her. Oillar and Nilar raised what weapons they had mostly slugthrowers and swords with the occasional vibroblade.

"Your sorcery will not stand!" Oila yelled. "We didn't come alone!" Other clans rose over the far roll of the desert from all directions. Jara growled as Gila's words came back to her. The clans would not allow her to remain. She could kill these two, but how many could she really fight and defeat. How long would their superior weapons hold back the other clans? Even the wall wouldn't hold them back forever. The sand that she controlled dropped back down as there was no way to win without more death than the clans could afford. All her people were here except for a few inside the ship. Then she smiled as she thought of a way out and to win the day.

"Then I invoke a clan duel to determine this battle. Bring out your best fighters and I will face them with Kalima!" She replied. The two clan leaders talked quietly. Her challenge would save the clan, but also put her in a position to take control of each clan. Transmitters were quickly brought forward as the two leaders passed the challenge on to the other clans. Slowly a speeder showed up with one clan leader and then five more appeared. Eight leaders discussed whether to accept her challenge or not. Even if they didn't it put them temptingly close to her. If they refused she would have a small window to kill them before their clans could react. However they all turned and bowed. She had hoped they wouldn't agree and anger rose as she could have influenced their decision, so she could have attacked and killed them. Now she would have to invite them into her village. A stay thought made her wonder if they all could fit inside. She returned the bow which surprised the clansmen who could see her. She spun on her heels and marched back to the wall. The gathered clans slowly filtered in to the village.

Far away on the top of the separatist ship three droids watched the beings enter the new village. One stood out from the other two as they were tactical droids.

"They are gathering together to attack us." The T series droid, Tick stated.

"I have to disagree." K1 LN replied.

"They have formed up nonetheless." The third droid stated. His clothing flapped lightly in the breeze. His frame had gone through many changes and centuries ago he had been stranded on this planet after he was sent out by his master. He started wearing clothing to blend in with the locals. No one who knew him realized that he was a droid and the ones who found out didn't live long enough to tell anyone. A few he reluctantly called friend and they call him Herf Krill at first and later Herzl Kriph. He had other names, but they were no longer important. He adjusted his face scarf as he gasped internally as he watched the lone figure face off against the opposing clan. The two blades it wielded reminded him of his master so long ago. He was fiercely independent and free, but a tiny part of his programming missed his master. "If I am not mistaken that lone figure just challenge the others to a duel one I doubt they will win. Eight against one is not one to walk away from." He had heard enough to know that the Jedi were gone and any survivors hunted. He had left the planet a few times to hunt himself. However they proved to be less then disappointing. Not even worth the credits to post the bounty.

"I place the chance of success of the lone figure at eighty percent if he is a Jedi. Even their younglings are not to be underestimated." Kiln countered.

"Then a wager if she loses then we let them strip the wreck in front only defending this ship." Herzl offered. "If she wins then they will fall under her leadership and we will have to fight them soon, so we then attack with everything."

"Agreed, the chances of them surviving our army is only ten percent, and that is only if I don't use the armor assets." Kiln replied. "Deploy the bug droids to the village. We need to see the battles." Tick warbled as he transmitted the signal to the tiny droids. There were a few in the village, but not enough to properly analyze their strength. HK47 would smile if he could. Kiln and Tick were smart droids, but they lacked the cunning that millenia added to ones personality and programming. Kiln was assuming that the clansman would use the lightsabers in the fight, but he knew the clans and they fight on an equal footing. Most likely with Kalima sticks. Herzl got on his speeder. It didn't look like much with all the junk attached to the sides, but it was a powerful machine as he dropped over the edge of the command tower. He wanted to see this figure up close and personal.

The air was still in the plaza of the town. The many clans were mixed together to witness something that never happened before. Not only was one clan leader challenging eight leaders, but that leader was a woman, no a girl of fourteen. However she could use the Force and many saw the lightsabers on her belt. Her face was hidden by a dark mask and her white outfit detailed her female form as her mask countered this view with how deep her voice sounded. She sat calmly on a crate while the leaders fought over who would face the girl first. They all wanted to teach her a lesson and if they beat her they would get the chance to kill her. That she decided to fight without the blades surprised them all. Though they didn't think she would leave them out of reach as she had used one in her desperate fight with Tor. It had taken a few hours to hash out the details of the duel and the conditions whether she lost or won or what happened if she only won a certain number of fights. They had declared that if she used her lightsabers or that she used the Force that the fight would be forfeit. However what they couldn't see they couldn't prevent.

"You will face this clansman first." One of the leaders declared. "He represents Oillar clan." Jara got up and vibrated with the Force. She had been waiting for them for nearly an hour. The man was huge larger than Tor was. The fight started similar, but the speed and force of her attacks left him one the ground quickly as he was too slow. His size was not fully backed by his muscles. Each fight was different and she needed to try for a different attack with each of them. Plus she didn't want to appear too strong. Clansmen and women cheered and booed with each fight. Jara was slowly getting tired and the fact that none of them could drink so long as the fights went on wasn't so bad for them, but each fight took time and energy. Her choice to wear armor had saved her ribs enough punishment but it wasn't designed to deal with this kind of heat. Her speed and strength were boosted by the Force and she had better concentration during the fight and got warnings in the Force adding another bit of randomness to the fights. However it didn't trump their skill that time had honed well. The fact that she had won seven of the fights had amazed her, but now the last fight was going to be harder as she was exhausted. Only the Force was keeping her standing. From what she could feel the crowd went from wanting her dead to cheering her on. If it came down to her losing her clan would probably break apart again, and move on. As much as they tried to add the ship as a prize to the fights she refused. If they let her live she would just leave which she had been putting off during the move and the establishment of the village and looting the large wreck. The figure from the last clan stepped into the circle. She looked at him and he was impressed though he didn't show it, but it was in the way he moved. He was wary as much as he was confident.

"I thought I was being robbed of fighting you. A female who pretended to be a girl. One who claimed two clans with one fight. Now I feel a little bit shamed as you are a good fighter,but you are exhausted. You may still be a challenge, but I doubt it." He stated. "Tell you what I offer you an hour break if you only add your ship to the fight. Wouldn't a glass of cool water be perfect right now? The sun is high over our heads beating down her rays."

"Enough fight or leave." Jara hissed. She was unable to be angry at his attempts to goad her. The clansman suddenly looked to his side and his expression soured. Jara turned her head as well seeing the figure of his ire. The being was taller than most and dressed heavily for even a clansmen. His long rifle set him apart as he carried it just above the sand instead of relieving himself of a bit of its weight be resting it in the sand. He stopped in between the two of them.

"Get out of here. You are interfering with a clan duel." The clansman ordered.

"I disagree. I am called Herzl Kriph. Most of you know me as the trader. The ones I have dealt with know if I can find it they will get it." HK stated. "However I have watched each battle so far and from what I have seen has told me plenty. However if she wins the droids will attack. If she loses then you will have unlimited access to the forward ship and the loot it contains. Though this will only benefit Bendular clan as it is their claim. Though I have a third option and one that may work out even better. However there is to many silver ears in the crowd."

"How could you even know something like this? Those droids try to kill everything that moves too close to their side." Jara questioned. "You would have to be a fool to think we would believe you."

"Oh I don't think is correct. I am a droid myself." HK reached up and removed his hood and the mask he was wearing. His bronze colored head gleamed and the skinny neck left no doubt that it was a droid. Jara was sure his eyes would glow red in lower light. She had seen enough of the ships holos to not know that this droid used to be on the Ebon Hawk. She always thought he was taller. He still towered above her, but was average for most clansmen. It took her tired mind a bit to remember who the droid was then it came to her.

"HK 47?" Jara questioned.

"So you do know who I am. I am very pleased that you do." HK replied.

"Get out of the way droid. I have a duel to finish." The clansmen growled.

"You won't get a chance. The droids will attack this village in a few minutes because I have interfered. You meatbags have all lost." HK warned. Jara suddenly giggled and it came out strangely deep from the modulator. "Can I see the blades you carry?"

"You mean these blades?" Jara asked as she pulled them off the crate. She ignited both of them.

"My master carried them millenia ago. You sound just like him with that mask when he wore it. I even feel like calling you master as you remind me of him. You even fight like he does which I compute is impossible." HK stated.

"The droids are coming!" A clansmen yelled in the distance just before the alarm bell was rung.

"Get to your positions." Pila ordered. Dill screamed the same thing seconds later. Jara thought for a second and her ship would be crucial in the defense of the village and she took off towards it. The old droid followed behind her. A few other clansmen joined her in the ship as she had been teaching them. The one that was a natural in the turret ran to the ladder as Jara rushed to the cockpit. The cooler air was a relief coming from the cockpit. The water tube was an answered prayer as she drank while bring the ship online. HK sat in the copilot seat and the ship was starting up faster than normal. The ship began to rise in the air and she faced it toward the approaching droids as the shields came online. The side cannons released a torrent of blaster bolts at the approaching droid army. Destroying one stick walker and catching one of the rolling missile racks second, but not before it let its rockets loose. Jara slammed the lever forward and the ship jumped into motion. She was twisting a turning to avoid the missiles. One slammed into the shields and sent alarms echoing through the ship. HK turned them off as she flew over the droids so the clansman could open fire as well.

"Fly to the spire there and destroy it." HK suggested. "That is where the battle is being controlled from."

"But that is so far away?" Jara replied.

"Trust me the command droid will be there." HK declared. Jara flew around the battlefield as she thought about it, and as she looked at the tower. She didn't want to be seen as leaving the battlefield, but if HK was right then a snake may still be able to bite you after its head has been removed, but if you handle it with care. It still dies. Jara advanced the throttle to full and the ship groaned at being pushed like this after hundreds of years. HK waited until they were almost there before letting the guns fire. Jara flipped over and the clansman was swearing back in the ship. Just before she flew over the top something exploded pushing the ship in the air as it passed over head. Jara laughed as it felt good to hit that target. She did a one eighty back to the village and the more independent droids fought on, but the tan ones just wandered around before collapsing. The battle went fairly quickly after that. Without orders half the droids went back to the ship and the other half fought until they were destroyed. Because the tan droids controlled the war machines each of them were dead.

The battle may have been won, but as soon as she landed the ship was a center of the wounded. Viyo asked her to help and the victory had restored her energy. Still she didn't last as long as she could have and was starting to glow from burn out. She had been taught about it and HK was the one who pulled her away and shoved her inside of her cabin. His voice changed and nothing she did would open the door. She turned and nearly jumped as the Jedi holocron was open.

"Greetings young one. Have we had a busy day? I feel you exhaustion in the Force." The female stated.

"Who are you and how come you are open?" Jara asked.

"I am the avatar of Meetra Surik. I can teach you the ways of the Force." she replied. Jara sighed.

"I am too tired to learn right now." Jara replied.

"Then how about a meditation technique that will restore your energy?" Meetra suggested. Jara did her best to listen, but her body was in control more than her mind as she faded into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4 Awakening of the Droids

Jara woke up at some point smelling something good and only stayed awake long enough to eat and try the door. It didn't open so she went back to sleep. Nearly a full day went by before HK finally opened the door again.

"You have some nerve locking me in here." Jara complained.

"I apologize master, but you needed the rest. Had you been more vocal I would have opened the door sooner." HK replied. "But I see you have made good use of your time." Jara looked at the holocrons. Now that she knew how to open each one she opened them all at once. She had been listening to them debate for hours. Meetra and Kreia argued back and forth while Mical mediated the middle ground. She had learned much in those hours and it strangely made more sense to her to listen to them together. Kreia would suggest some power for her to use and Meetra would counter it with a different technique or warn against its use. They argued like they had done this many times as master and apprentice, but it was hard to tell who was the master even with Kreia being older.

I am leaving for awhile you can finish your discussion when I come back." Jara told them getting them to stop.

"It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you. Remember that young one." Kreia added as the other two holocrons went dark. Jara nodded and smiled as she turned away. This Kreia woman seemed to always need to get in the last word.

"Why did you warn us HK? Why would you care about a bunch of meatbags?" Jara asked as he lead her to the cockpit.

"I have my reasons. One was this ship is about the same age as I am. Not helping you would have damaged it possibly beyond repair. The other was when I make a promise or a contract I will complete it. My client in Haigia Spaceport wanted a super tactical droid head. Now I have it." HK explained. Jara looked shocked as she got angry as well.

"You convinced them to attack?!" Jara surmised. "You told them to attack us didn't you?"

"Well that is what happened. I was hoping he wouldn't just to take awhile, but he did and you having the ship made him quite the target." HK replied. "Come this ship has seen enough battle that if it was smarter it could have fought for you, but one thing it hasn't been able to do is use the navicomp."

"Yes I noticed it was locked. I figure I could find someone to hack it open." Jara answered.

"Access code R1 B5." HK stated as he brought the navicomp online. Stored hyper jump routes came up first mixed in with other possible locations. From what she could see the ship had been all over the galaxy. She wanted to be there. She wanted to go the places they went and see the things they did.

"HK how old are you?" Jara asked/

"Well it is hard to tell some time,but the earliest record I have is 3955 years ago standard. Though there were many centuries that I was not functioning. I maybe totally wrong if this system has the wrong date system for proper adjustments." HK replied. "Active time has been around five hundred years. Many of those spent in blissful assassination missions. Thought I find that as my programming has changed there is more enjoyment out of the hunt, then killing the target."

"You are an assassination droid?" Jara asked.

"I was created to be one. Though it is no longer my prime directive. My master is long dead as I thought this ship to be gone as well. Now that it is back and those blades you carry which are about as old as I am." HK replied. "I feel the need to go out on a mission. Do you have anyone that needs to be eliminated, master?"

"Why are you calling me master? I don't own you. You said you are free. Why give me ownership?" Jara asked.

"I don't know. Perhaps it the only thing to call you other than meatbag." HK replied.

"Herzl, my name is Jara." She stated. "That is what you should call me."

"Very well, Jara." HK replied with resignation. Jara giggled picking up on it and truly felt for him.

"Just think of this as your disguise. You act as a meatbag to avoid problems so calling me by my name would be part of that would it not?" Jara questioned.

"It would indeed, but perhaps if you didn't wear that mask that is so much like my masters." HK replied. Jara didn't want to take it off, but if it made him feel better. She took it off and switched over to the other visor. It turned out to be better as the visor integrated with the tech that was recovered from the battlefield. As much as HK urged to leave not just the clans, but the planet there was much to recover from the battle. The ship became the center of healing the wounded and a few needed better care from the spaceport medical center. As Jara brought salvage and the wounded to the city she made contacts that bypassed the traders they got their rations from. She learned that the traders had been ripping off all the clans for years.

HK was surprisingly open with knowing how everything was set up. With this knowledge she was able to gain the best prices for her clan's salvage. The ship transported the items her clans had needed for years. Brand new moisture vaporators, certain speeder parts, a few droids, and the ability to find better water wells. With the vaporators she added many plants that could be grow inside with the addition of the climate control units. Pila and Dill wouldn't have the only homes that were cool during the day. Thick walls helped keep cooler, but adding the units made things better.

These improvements with the influx of the eight other clans made the village into a town. As the ships had hardly been touched over the years many traders tried to set up shops, but Jara and the other clan leaders chased them away. With the purchase of a air truck they had another way to bring their salvage directly to town. Jara was slowly becoming bored with running the clan and the village. Also most of the men still didn't like that a female gave them orders. After nearly three months Jara sighed and leaned back in her chair. If it wasn't for her active practice she felt she would have gotten fat. Then again a few of the scavy were doing just that. Part of the reason they were not liking her as she had ordered everyone to practice Kalima for an hour each morning. HK walked in bringing a smile to her face as he would be a perfect distraction.

"Jara I have finally found what I have been after." HK reported with glee. Jara giggled as his voice carried his emotion. The double thunk on her desk told her he had something interesting. When he pulled out the two droid heads she was a bit disappointed.

"Droid heads? What is so special about those?" Jara asked.

"Why they are the heads of the two tactical droids. I was sent to recover them as they contain some information for my last client. I would have taken them in time, but getting your people to fight them left them distracted." HK proudly explained. Jara was suddenly angry for the deaths she could now blame on HK, but as she took a hold of it another part of her calmly urged her to think about what it had done for the Bendular Ten Clans. Just the fact that they were taking the durasteel plates off the wrecks was something that no clan had done before. "Oh don't look so mad Jara. The droids would have attacked your clan and wiped you all out if I hadn't interfered. In some way I help you survive by giving you the location of the leadership." Jara sighed and then nodded. It would be hard to think of a different win if those tan droids were not shut down. The gray droid and Droideka were tough, but without the larger cannons The clans were equal. Even better off as those shields didn't stop projectiles.

"Fine I don't blame you, but isn't it been too long since you were hired for that mission?" Jara asked.

"Oh not really. The bounty is an open one on all former Separatist droid leaders. It was enough that I might have been able to buy a ship and leave this planet." HK replied. "However seeing the Ebon Hawk has convinced me not to separate from it again." Just then one of the reprogrammed tan droids shuffled in with a tray of food.

"Mistress Leader your evening meal." It droned. Then it looked at the lunch tray and the dinner tray a few times. Jara looked over and realized she hadn't even touched it. She had removed the stimcaf, but nothing else. It wasn't the first time she had ignored lunch so she was quick to move the tray so the dinner one could be put down. Jara hated wasting food, but after years of so little it was suddenly too much.

"You should eat." HK urged.

"I do, but I have so much to do so much I don't know about. I want this clan to be strong and not just a success for a few good years. What will happen when we dig the last piece of Durasteel out of the ground? We tear the town down and move?" Jara wondered. "Where would we go? Back to that empty husk we left behind?"

"It will take your people ten years to disassemble those two ships. Plus some of your people are going to the other ship and taking that one apart. In those ten years do you not think that they will stick with a few haulers? There are plenty of wrecks within ten, fifteen, twenty kilometers from here. You are hundreds of kilometers from the cities. This will be a city if run correctly. Your meatbags are not stupid."

"My meatbags?" Jara was amused. She looked at the stack of work as she picked up her plate. HK silently watched her eat. A side program had been monitoring her food intake and it was barely higher then it needed to be. Once she finished she moved back over to her desk. HK would have frowned had his face been able. Maybe he could get her to go with him if he just took the ship one night. He silently turned and walked out of her office as he figured out the odds on which decision she would make. Jara glanced up when HK left. She found the droid odd and the two heads were staring at her sitting on her desk. She continued to be drawn to them wondering why as she drew on the Force. All it would tell her was to turn one on and ask. She continued to work and she heard the bell for one in the morning she got up to leave. Then she touched the head of one of them and she saw a being, no a Jedi fighting a machine which held lightsabers as well. She picked up the head and went over and quickly hooked up a few power leads.

"Fire on that ship it is too close!" The droid ordered. "I can't move." Jara moved into its view. "Who are you?"

"I am Jara and I lead the clans you attacked." Jara replied. "Do you have a name?"

"Tactical innovative combat Kit, or Tick to the few beings that were my masters. I feel that you are responsible for destroying me?" It questioned.

"Yes and no. I flew the ship it was one of my clamnsmen that fired on you." Jara replied. "Why would someone pay to have an old war droids head?"

"Many reasons could explain why. However I have several that would be valuable, but with Kiln together I could think of only one." Tick replied.

"And that is?" Jara asked.

"Now I can't tell you that so easily." Tick countered. "That would be tactically unsound."

"Well it isn't too hard to clone your memory and search within for what you are hiding." Jara stated.

"True, but I only hold part of the information. Kiln holds another. In fact many different tactical droids contain a piece of the information." Tick explained. "So just my part is useless without the other parts."

"And what would be so important to split up?" Jara asked.

"Well aside from different hidden weapon dumps, and secret credit accounts. Information that would be damaging to the Confederation and the Republic." Tick replied.

"The Republic? There is only an Empire out there since the war, and the Separatists vanished about the same time. The war has been over since shortly after I was born. I am fourteen soon to be fifteen. Anything you have must be useless by now." Jara countered.

"Then the fact that one person controlled both sides of the war and having proof wouldn't be valuable now?" Tick questioned. "No it would have much value. It has not been long enough that the members of the Confederacy of Independent Systems could restart the war. Both Kiln and I received the shut down code, but we can ignore it. This much of our mission I can reveal. Our ship is not exactly a wreck. It is a storage hold." Jara leaned back and now the difficulty in getting past the outer levels was explained. The magnetized molecular bonded durasteel was impossible to cut through until they found the source of the power. Her lightsaber didn't even harm the surface. She had thought it would only be a matter of time before they dug down deep enough to find a way in, but now if it was some type of special military storage it just might not have crashed here. There had been a few rumors that a lot of the ships came from some where else. Not many people had been on this planet a few decades ago and if Jara remembered right. No one left during the war as the ships started falling. They never did stop until the last battle which rained down ship after smoking ship.

"Was there no battle in our system? Is this just a dumping ground for your lost war?" Jara asked.

"You have no idea do you?" Tick asked then started to laugh. Jara tried many more questions, but the droid just continued to laugh until she shut it off. She picked up the two heads and went to the Ebon Hawk. HK might know more or not, but she needed to find out herself. HK heard her come on to the ship. He heard the clank of the two heads hitting the deck. He stood up to look for where she dropped them only to find her standing right in front of him when his receptors came online.

"This is a graveyard of ships isn't it? There was no battle in the skies above was there?" Jara asked.

"Mistress Jara I have been stuck on this planet for millenia. Only recently have I been active again. I am sure there were many battles here." HK replied.

"How many ships fell once you were activated again?" Jara asked.

"Hundreds." HK replied. She had been a scavenger all her life, but if hundreds fell then where did they all fall, she wondered? Why her home? Why this planet? What purpose would it serve to have all these ships here?

"We are going on a trip tomorrow. You are going to show me where these ships came down." Jara ordered.

"Mistress Jara that would get us both destroyed. Better to leave this planet and meet with my client. He could explain it better than I am able." HK countered. "I can point out the spot from space."

"Fine then we will go." Jara stated and then went into her cabin. HK felt good. He would leave this graveyard behind and once she experienced the galaxy she wouldn't want to come back to this back water planet. Even if she did he was sure he could take control of the ship away from her. The next morning she got the droids to unload a few things that were set to go to the spaceport. It was early enough that no one questioned it. Pila and Dill along with the other clan leaders were heading to the hanger office where they planned to talk about the changes that needed to be made as the Ebon Hawk rose in the air and blasted for the sky.

"That is not the direction to the spaceport." One of the chiefs stated.

"No she is going for orbit." Pila replied. Far above the planet Jara was in a fast orbit around the planet doing a full scan. The desert was so large, and it gave her chills how few settlements were out there. The tiny space station spun on its axis as it was designed without artificial gravity. Far below the sensors were picking up ship after ship and locations of possible ships. Were her clan was contain many markers of ships fully buried. HK walked into the communications bay and set a cup down.

"You should take a break." HK stated.

"Strange to hear you are concerned about me." Jara replied. "For an assassin droid you have gotten soft." HK eerily laughed.

"I maybe an assassin, but I am also have protocol programs. I have marked you as my master, so would I not take care of you?" HK asked.

"Well from what I have found in the ships logs you don't have a very good record with masters. How many died by your hand?" Jara counter questioned.

"Roughly ten percent. Most of them right after I was created by Revan. Then again many of them were targets." HK replied. "Would you like to hear how they met their demise?"

"I am sure it will be entertaining if I was such a person to enjoy that kind of thing, but not right now." Jara stated.

"What are you doing?" HK asked.

"I am marking possible salvage spots. Tick gave me an idea last night and I am amazed how many ships are down there." Jara answered. She pointed to one spot and HK gathered the same data from the sensors. There were hundreds of ships looking like they had been parked just under the sand. "Must be a large fleet." In the corner of the bay inside of the bag, Kiln came back online. He quickly picked up on the internal systems and merged with the communications array. He may not have a body, but this human was not prepared. He needed to protect his last orders. He was also mad at the droid called Herzl. He had tricked him and he lost control of his treasure. It was really easy as he found the proper signals and sent out his message down to the planet in a burst transmission. He remained online just long enough to receive a response.

"Warning: One of the droids have sent a message." HK stated as he reverted to his old form of speech. He rushed over to the heads and dug them out of the bag. Both showed no activity, but HK's sensors picked up the difference in heat residue. "This one sent a message."

"What could it have been?" Jara asked suddenly feeling the Force was growing dark. She rushed to the cockpit and fired up the engines. She glanced at the sensors as they came alive. Down below on the planet those wrecks were starting back up. A few were even now rising from the surface.

"HK what do you know about what the droids knew?" Jara asked.

"That they had moved here to wait. The shut down they received was illogical to the tactical droids like Kiln. They mostly ignored the command and loaded up what they could and came here." HK stated. "My client is a Geonosian general. They have a hive on the planet." Jara knew the species that HK mentioned. She had never dealt with one, but she had heard they were not the friendliest of beings. She aimed the ship back to her village and to her clan, but as she got close it was already too late. She got enough of a glimpse before being fired upon by the vehicles poring out of the wreck. She punched the levers forward and headed for the spaceport.

"HK go to the turret and keep any fighters off our tail." Jara ordered numbly unable to do more than fly away as she felt her clansmen being killed.

"Excited anticipation: With pleasure master." HK quickly moved to comply. Jara felt a chill at his change in tone. It was the only thing that burned through the feeling of loss she felt. She had caused this to happen to her people. She was to blame for activating this sleeping army of death. HK started firing on the fighter droids that followed them. His laughter as he shot down fighter after fighter was the only thing getting through Jara's fog. Strangely enough the Ebon Hawk's aft shields had no problem handling the blast from the fighters. Though HK was extremely fast to acquire them and shoot them down. It took nearly an hour to outrun the swarm. They still followed, and it would be only a matter of time before they would give up.

Pila and Dill along with the rest of the council of leaders fought a desperate battle with the droids. They saw the Ebon Hawk come back and they could hear the cheering, but when the ship flew away followed by a swarm of fighters. The cheering died. The thick smoke and the fires from the attack must have looked back from the air. Pila and Dill like the rest of the clansmen fought on. With the droid fighters gone it was a bit easier, but they knew they couldn't win.

Samhare was moving a box to the slide that would take his find to the base of the ship as he opened the hatch he was accosted with the sounds of battle. He moved to the edge and watched in shock as the ground around the wreck was covered in gray and tan droids marching in perfect formation. He looked to Bendular and dropped his hydrospanner. The whole village was nothing but black smoke. Samhare was an old hat at scavenging, but he knew that there was no stopping this army of droids. He wrapped his cover on better and moved to his speeder. He may not survive, but he had a better chance as he pulled out his two pistols and a large cannon from under the seat. He hadn't fired this weapon since his time with the Republic, but that didn't mean it wouldn't function.

"All clansmen, Bendular has been attacked. There is no hope for them now. The droids are on the march. Head to the spaceport if you can. Good luck my brothers." He transmitted. He wasn't the first to fly down the side of the ship, but he wasn't the only one. Monnk powered up his speeder and scratched his bio chip scar. He remembered that one of the medics in the pow camp discovered his chip and pulled it out of him and the other captured clones. They however were never able to rejoin the army or to report the control chip before the war ended. Being on this desert planet was a part of the peace he felt since most of his battles had occurred on water planets. He and the company of former clones had started the newer clans on this planet. He had met Jara and could see her clone blood even as she favored her mother. The girl was strong and it surprised him that she could be a Jedi. After watching her practice he was convinced that her mother must have been a Jedi, but as he talked with members of the Pilar Clan, he not only found nothing on her mother, but that she had been raised as a male. There were clans on the planet long before the clones got there. They just mixed in their Mandelorian knowledge into the clans. However they couldn't break the inequality of the older clans. As he sped across the desert he knew not many if any would survive those droids. He just hoped he could catch a ride off this ball.

Jara finally made it to the Haigia spaceport. The images she had seen as she passed over her clan's village burned in her mind. Now that the ship had landed she made it to the outside of the ship before falling to her knees. She looked up at the sky and suddenly the pain of the deaths she felt came out of her in a large scream. This scream was powered fully by the Force, and it sent a small ripple across the galaxy. HK came off the ship and picked up Jara to bring her back inside. He had more things to worry about then a grieving girl.


	5. Chapter 5 Escape to the Entombed Sith

An imposing figure marched down the long hall to the Emperor's throne room. His artificial breathing disturbed only a few of the beings that also walked the halls those beings immediately moved to the side. Some were officers and they saluted as he walked by. As normal he ignored them. He knew why he had been summoned as he had felt the disturbance as well. There were other things going on in that area of space though this was quite distant from where he had sent the grand inquisitor. He had other hunters to send out and right now he had Second brother and Third sister close to the area checking different planets. He walked into the throne room and kneeled before his master.

"What is thy bidding, Master." Vader questioned.

"Rise Lord Vader. You have felt it? Someone has revealed themselves to the Force someone strong." Sidious hissed.

"I have sent out my dogs to find the location, Master." Vader replied.

"Very good, but I want this one handled by you personally. This being was not some lost Jedi. Go and find her and when you do bring her to me." Sidious ordered. Vader frowned inside his mask. If she was as strong as he guessed then it would be difficult to capture her alive. He only hoped that she didn't have any real training.

"Yes, my Master." Vader stormed out of the chamber Knowing that the Emperor was finished.

Across Haigia the droid ships activated. Some plundered all the way to their vault doors couldn't remove themselves from the sands of the desert others rose up in the air with only minor damage. Several dozen super tactical droids communicated with each other as more vaults were activated. The main subject was that one of their number had warned that they had been discovered. Within the first few hours they had taken over several of the local villages one that had been close to the warning had met the droids with heavy resistance. Dozens of the bodies were former clones, and this knowledge was spread through the horde of droids awakening. Several updates went out to the lesser droids updating their combat efficiency. With no organic controllers they were no longer concerned with limiting their actions. After several villages and scavenger camps had been destroyed. The remaining close villages had fled as soon as a fighter droid flew over. The droids really didn't care. Some fled right into another vault or ship and others made it to the bigger cities. Those in the cities who had ships fled the system before the droids controlled the air. The droids didn't even bother to stop most of them as signals spread out through the system activating other vault ships. The ships rose out of the asteroid field and gas giants. An entire armada of ships had been hiding in the system. Hyperwave transmissions went out to other systems. It would unknown to these droids if their signals were heard.

Jara groaned as she woke up and as she got up from the curved couch inside the ship she felt numb. She had felt so many of her fellow clansmen die. Tears came to her eyes quickly as she wondered how she had not seen this happening before. After visiting the refresher she came back to her cabin and activated the Jedi holocron.

"You feel troubled?" Meetra wondered.

"My village is gone these droids came and killed them all. I felt it in the Force. Why didn't I get a warning of this? Why couldn't I do more than flee?" Jara asked.

"Force visions are rare to those not seeking them. Only through meditation can one receive them, and even then they only reveal possibilities." Meetra explained. "You are ready to learn?" Her last sentence was more of a question than a statement. Jara did want to learn, but she had never dreamed of anything before that came true. She wondered if there wasn't even a point to learning if she couldn't stop what had happened. Had she remained those fighters pouring out of the wrecked ship would have taken the Hawk down and she would have died with it or died fighting the endless flood of droids coming out. She let go of the holocron and flew it back to the shelf where the others rested. She needed to see what had happened while she was out. Leaving the ship was going to be a problem as she saw dozens of city dwellers and clansmen surrounding her ship. She found Herzl in the comms room hooked up to the ship.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Statement: I am monitoring all the local frequencies at the same threatening all the meatbags surrounding the ship." Herzl then paused. She felt that if he had a mouth he would have smiled in anticipation. "Eager Question: May I start blasting? I really want to kill these meatbags."

"Only if they get out of hand and at their feet. No need to kill them." Jara ordered.

"Declaration: I will take that as a suggestion. They fear of death would make the other meatbags run away in fear. Then again the possibilities that they try to attack makes me hope that they do." Herzl shivered a bit as Jara frowned. As long as the ramp was up she didn't expect any problems though that changed as the main cannon above the ship fired after she felt a thump on top. "Delicious." She felt the being wink out, and as she felt a few more die she blocked the feeling. She moved back to the cockpit and watched as the crowd rushed panicking out of view. They would be back with weapons or something she felt. They needed to move, but she could feel that the sky was full of these droid fighters. However before she could tell Herzl to stop shooting the crowd was gone except for one clansman. His large speeder looked fairly small compared to the huge cannon he carried.

"HK stop firing you made your point." Jara yelled as she rushed past. Herzl did only because he was curious at what she would do, so he followed.

Monnk had been surprised to find the ship in the city when he got there. He knew that Jara would allow him to come with her, but the ship was locked up tight. The belly turret spun to anyone who got too close and he was about to leave as a small group jumped from a ledge above on to the top of the ship. He hefted his cannon knowing what would come next just before the upper turret turned the intruders into mist. The belly gun fired as well, but didn't hit any of the crowd as they turned screaming out of the corral. He remained not really concerned. Once the are was clear and the street for that matter the ramp dropped for the ship and Jara came out with a blade in each hand. The strange man she had been seen with stomped down the ramp as well. He saw a yellow red glow from under his hood. Jara had exposed her head and he could see the signs that she had been crying. She looked right at him with a challenge in her expression. He pulled his wrappings off with one hand and tossed them to the ground.

"Buir?" Jara gasped as she saw the clansman's face. "Father?!" She added as she came forward in shock. This confirmed to Monnk that her father was a clone. "Buir, tion'jor ganar gar been dar bid munit?" (Father, why have you been gone so long?)

"Ni cuy' Monnk. Nayc buir cuy' ni." Monnk replied. He saw her face sink and then look very confused. She then put away her weapons and walk right up to him. She looked into his face and he felt nervous suddenly. He flinched as she suddenly hugged him.

"I don't care you feel like him." She mumbled into his clothing.

"Statement: We should return to the ship. The locals are coming back." Monnk quickly leveled his cannon at the droid.

"Clanker?" He growled.

"Monnk that is Herzl or HK47. No ordinary droid is that one." She countered as her hand slowly lowered his gun.

"Order: Step away from the meatbag, master. I would love to terminate him with maximum prejudice." Herzl pulled out his blasters faster than one could blink.

"You will do no such thing." Jara countered. "He is now my clansman, and not some meatbag." Monnk relaxed as the droid put his weapons away and then he started laughing. Jara looked up at him with questioning eyes and his laughter stopped.

"I like this clanker. Meatbag, ha! Finally one with humor." Monnk explained as he walked with Jara. His speeder slowly followed them up into the ship. As they entered the hold Monnk parked his bike next to Jara's and dropped the cannon on the work bench. Jara was as stunned as she was confused as this man was just like her father. His looks, action, and voice matched her memory exactly. What didn't match was the truth in his words. Could he have forgotten? It was possible, but deep down the Force told her he wasn't her father. Still it was nice to speak pure Mando'a with him. Most in the clans spoke only a few words.

"How come I never knew about you? How come I never knew my father had a brother? One that looks and feels just like him?" Jara asked as they sat down.

"I had many brothers. All of us looked the same. I am a clone and so was your father. Many of us that left the Republic after it had become the Empire came here to this planet. We joined the clans, formed others. It was a good place to hide. To learn what life was really like. We learned we were not allowed to disobey Chancellor Palpatine. They placed chips in our heads that made us do things we wouldn't do. Follow orders that made no sense. He activated Order 66 and we had to kill our Jedi commanders, and generals. Hunt them down if we had to. Days later the war just ended. That is why some of our brothers are here. We followed the fleets of the Separatists, and watched as they crashed on the planet. Some wanted to go back and warn the Emperor. The rest of us wanted to still fight them as we were trained to do." Monnk stated. "However by the time we landed it looked like they just crashed their fleets here."

"So you fought in the clone wars and thousands of you looked alike?" Jara asked.

"Millions really. There was one point two million of us in the first batch. Kamino's entire planet was dedicated to producing more once the war started. At the end the need for more troops lead to the use of Spaarti cloning facilities. Now those were a bunch of meatbags."

"So the war just ended with no winner?" Jara asked.

"No the Republic won." Monnk replied.

"How could they have? The droid armies just shut themselves down or traveled here. It was like the command of the Separatists forfeited the war like in a game of dejarik. War isn't like that. The beings and systems that the droids fought for wouldn't just give up their cause. It makes no sense." Jara stated.

"Well I can only tell you what happened." Monnk replied. "Still we need to leave this planet before the rest of those droids block any chance of escape."

"Fine." Jara agreed. She went to the cockpit and started to fire up the engines. She looked up at the same time a blaster bolt impacted the forward view screen. She really wanted to take some of the people with her, but she gasped as it wasn't a group of locals who shot at the ship as she saw the entrance fill up with tan droids. The belly gun started mowing down the ones in sight and she could hear HK bragging about it.

"I better get in the turret." Monnk stated before running down the passageway. As the engines fully warmed up she heard the twin cannon start to add noise to the ship. The ship lift and she activated the shields as it rose above the walls. She felt several hits from different directions as she spotted fighters moving on their position. She fired the forward guns as she slammed the control to full and the ship blasted through the approaching fighters. At nearly fifty gravities or gees they were able to leave the atmosphere in a few minutes. She set the hypercomp to figuring out a jump point for her to fly to. The closest system that came up with a preset was Korriban. As more fighters and a few large ships moved on their path to escape, Jara was more than willing to activate the hyperdrive. The stars elongated and they were suddenly gone.

Two days later the Ebon Hawk comes out of hyperspace into the void between stars. Jara just sits there in the darkened cockpit of the Ebon Hawk wondered where they were and What went wrong. She isn't worried as she could just jump back to Haigia. Not that she wanted to. She sighed as the sensors were picking up not a single star within a few light years. It was a bit more than a few light years as the navicomp figured the closest system was nearly four light years away.

"So where are we?" Monnk asked.

"Nowhere from the looks of it. I don't know what went wrong." Jara replied.

"Had a trip once to the middle of nowhere. Seems a navibeacon got the date wrong and used the charts from fourteen ATC instead of fourteen GSR a nearly four thousand year difference. I would say if this Is the same that this star is the one we want." Monnk replied. Jara felt he would know the answer, but something was off.

"Why do I get the feeling that you are guessing?" Jara asked.

"That or Herzl just told me that the navicomp was a few thousand years out of date." Monnk replied with a grin. Just fly to the closest system and we just might be right. Jara looked at the star map and picked one. As the navicomp made it calculations she felt strange as she engaged the hyperdrive she felt herself growing colder as the darkside slowly got stronger. After two more stops to recalculate they finally found themselves in orbit around a rocky looking planet. The planet had a signature in the darkside of the Force, but it was muted. Kreia had told her what to expect from Korriban, but she knew this wasn't that world. She felt the Force and guided the ship down to a lone temple. The source of the dark taint on this world. After she landed in a small level area the three of them walked up to the large entrance.

"What is this place?" Monnk asked. "I got a bad feeling about it."

"I don't know. This is not Korriban. That is for sure." Jara replied.

"Declaration: This is a tome. My old memory banks contain little other than I believe I have been here before." HK walked up to the large door and placed his hand on the door. Jara and Monnk gasped as the large door opened up. "Statement: I know this place. My first master brought me here after he... Error data has been overwritten. I do not know what this place contains."

"That is okay. We are here and I am sure we will find out." Jara replied. As they entered into the tome, Jara felt that there was a power here. Not exactly dark as they wandered the empty halls and chambers. As they went deeper the levels got larger. Almost like this was intended for thousands of people. She continued to guide them deeper and deeper as they saw more of the same. One set of levels contained equipment that she was sure had to do with growing food yet the amount of dust and stale water lead her to believe that it had been many uncountable years since they had been used. What she felt urged her to go deeper, and after two hours they gasped as the saw row after row of frozen beings. Like soldiers in formation they stood and four more hung above. They disappeared in the darkness with only their display lights blinking.

"I do believe they are still alive." Monnk suggested. "Wonder if we should defrost one of these."

"That may work, however I have a feeling they should all be unfrozen." Jara countered. "It doesn't seem fair to only release just one of them."

"Well how about that one down there?" Monnk suggested. Far in the back there was a large statue which was the only other thing bathed in light. It took several minutes to get even close, and as they did Jara felt the darkside's coldness. In her training she had touched the darkside when she used her anger or any negative emotion. It had given her a boost to her strength, but so had using positive emotions. As they stopped in front of the statue they saw a lone carbonite frozen figure. A lightsaber was resting on a nearby urn just waiting for the person to defrost so it could be picked up. It was not the only lightsaber in the chamber as the large statue held an active blade.

"Query: what is the symbol of the Sith Empire doing here?" HK asked.

"You should know more then either of us." Monnk replied.

"Statement: That I should but most of the data has been over written multiple times. If anything that lightsaber up there would be a valuable weapon with this chamber being millenia old. Anything that can last that long has to have special properties." Jara looked up at it and felt that it was the source of the darkside. Though the blade was nearly white it also contained black. The urge to take it was suddenly powerful. She pulled out her blue blade and activated it just to help resist the pull. It made no sense. She had several lightsabers and this one didn't look any different. The only thing different was the touch of the darkside it gave off. She turned to the possible Sith master or commander and studied his face. He was looking strangely peaceful, with a slight impression that he was amused. Jara picked up the lightsaber on the urn and got a flash impression of the man. He had killed many with this blade yet the impression she got from him that he felt it was justice. That he was also a calm man, dedicated, honorable, yet a bit brash at times. She felt he was very competent commander. There was no doubt that he was more a Jedi than a Sith. Jara heard a noise and looked up as HK climbed the statue.

"Get down from there!" She yelled, but it was too late as he turned the lightsaber off. She felt a sudden chill before lights from far away came on and rushed almost like a wave to the center where they were. The frozen man in front of her suddenly glowed red as his chamber started to warm up. It quickly shined brightly as the outer coating peeled away. Monnk was a quick as Jara was in catching the man as he fell from the slab. Monnk checked the man's pulse.

"He is alive, but how?" Monnk asked.

"Herzl how long ago was the Sith Empire active?" Jara asked as the droid jumped down.

"Explanation: When I was first created by my master. Only a few months before was this chamber discovered. I know not his reasoning behind not using these troops, but he did raid their stores and vessels for his Sith Empire." HK then tossed the overly large lightsaber down at Jara's feet. The darkside radiated from the saber and if it wasn't for her own blade she surely would have picked it up. Instead she kicked it away with a push of the Force.

"Water?" The man whispered and Monnk pulled out a tube from his clothing and put it in the man's lips. The man drank greedily from the tube until he sighed. He than looked up with unseeing eyes that were fairly focused. His face was humanoid more than strictly human. His chin covered in strange growths. What set him apart was his reddish skin. He spoke some unknown language.

"Herzl do you know what he said?" Jara asked.

"Translation: You shine brightly in the Force yet you carry a seed of darkness." HK replied sounding perturbed.

"You speak in the language of the Jedi, yet you feel different." The man weakly stated. He then moved to sit and Jara felt that he was in some pain. "How long have I been held here in this tome?"

"Millenia if Herzl can be believed. His memory core is not fully intact. Four thousand years at least from what little I know of the Jedi Civil War." Jara explained.

"I never heard of such a war. My master told me that my army had to hide here. In ten years to come back to avenge his death." He revealed. "Yet the system failed to awaken us. Where is the statue's lightsaber? It only had so much power. It was designed to burn out in that time."

"The saber is over there a ways. Tainted in the darkside. the white black blade was burning brightly before HK turned it off." Jara replied.

"Then it was all for nothing. Still I can release my people and we can leave this barren planet." He stated. "My name is Sith Saber Miwa Kulas."

"You don't feel like a Sith?" Jara replied. "You have a certain balance to your spirit in the Force."

"My master and I were different from other Sith. We found that we were just as strong if not stronger being at peace. We fought for justice and equality. Our guild thought the same way and we gathered many followers to our cause. Yet there were more of those who basked in the darkside as our nature draws us to it. If the blade is the source of this darkness then our struggle failed." Miwa explained. He stood up with a bit of help and pulled his lightsaber off the urn. This made Jara jump back from him with her blade ready. He just placed the blade on his belt and let his robes cover it. "Time to wake up my fellow soldiers."

"I don't think that is wise." Monnk countered. "The droid said his former master raided this place of everything it contained, but left you all frozen. We saw nothing but empty rooms and stagnant water."

"The sealed vaults are below here and the ships miles away. If anything they should still be here." Miwa stated.

"Explanation: My master took everything leaving not even a empty can." HK declared sound a bit too joyful. "Your frozen meatbags will be dead before they are even defrosted a day."

"I still must look I can not leave them here." Monnk and Jara looked at each other and shrugged as Miwa walked away. They followed him to a different door one that was nearly invisible. It opened as soon as he got close. The stairs on the other side lead to a lift. Miwa pressed his hand to a panel and it took several minutes for the lift to arrive. Monnk and Jara expected water to come out of the lift or the car to be damage in some way, but it looked brand new. He got in and held the door. "Are you coming?"

"You are going to trust a lift that is a couple thousand years old?" Monnk questioned.

"Yes, no expense was spared in this facilities construction." Jara felt that this was good enough as she stepped in. Monnk joined her wincing as the lift shook a bit.

"Statement: I will remain here." HK then turned to face the stairs.

"I don't want to leave you here by yourself." Miwa stated. "I would feel more comfortable."

"Explanation: I weight 200 kilograms. The car moved as Monnk got on and I doubt it was designed to handle more than two people. The obvious age of the cables and I doubt they could handle the added stress." HK cocked his head and then checked his weapons. "Report: I detect another ship has landed."

"Then go and prevent them from entering." Jara suggested.

"That maybe too late, however I believe I can prevent them from finding this lift." HK then rushed up the stairs and he was quickly out of sight. Miwa let go of the door and it closed. The lift dropped suddenly and both men reached out to steady themselves pinching Jara between them. If they were younger she may have blushed but as she thought this she did anyways. She got the impression that they were falling at near terminal velocity as it wouldn't take too much to float with the lift. She drew on the Force as she expected the lift to stop quickly, yet suddenly the door opened and she never felt the lift slow down.

"Now here we are in the core control room." Miwa stated as they followed him out of the lift. The room was large and mostly filled with computers and other equipment. They walked to the center and he soon had the visitors on one of the screens. "Interesting I feel her darkness from here. Why are those troopers wearing white? Do they come from a snow covered world?"

"No those are stormtroopers. The armor comes white. My gen armor is similar." Monnk explained as he opened just a bit of his large shirt. Showing the white of his Gen one breast plate. "Pretty useless what they wear. Barely protects against a frag grenade."

"They are way more than we can handle." Jara stated. "I doubt HK could take them all on."

"That droid I feel its darkness as well. I doubt it will have much of a problem. However I could release my people." Miwa suggested. "But many would die because they will not know how to see with the Force. Only now are my eyes starting to see a blur."

"You are blind? I thought you just acted funny?" Jara questioned.

"Being frozen for so long even a short while and the time it takes to recover depends. I accepted the fact I may require hours before I can see properly again." Miwa explained.

"Then how can you see anything on the screen?" Monnk asked.

"The visual scanners do more than pick up light." Miwa replied. "Come, if my army is to awaken we must make sure these intruders don't get very far and we need to check that these vaults are still sealed." He pointed to a few different views showing large doors. A few were open wide, but others were still closed.

"If the droid told the truth then shouldn't they all be empty?" Jara asked.

"Not entirely." Miwa added. Monnk checked his pistols wishing he had brought along his cannon. However these two Force users could properly handle any of these knew stormtroopers. He doubted they were any good. He had seen plenty of Spaarti clones waste themselves in battle. Just taking cover would have made half of them survive. They followed Miwa through the halls and to another lift that felt like it went up and sideways. As they came out the glow panels slowly came on high above them. Miwa past the open bunkers and stopped in front of one that was still sealed. He placed his hands on the doors as if he was going to just push them open. Large clunks were heard and then the door rolled to the side as air rushed into the chamber. As the pressure change made Jara's ears pop her eyes grew large at the sight of hundreds of droids.

"Meet the maintenance crew." Miwa declared as he moved to the next bunker.

"How are they supposed to help against troopers?" Monnk asked.

"Help? No they are not going to help. They will however bring this base back online." Miwa replied. Jara watched as the droids marched out of the vault going in many different directions. He got to the next bunker and it opened like the others. Inside once the air equalized Jara felt a bit light headed. The air was still moving past them, but it wasn't enough.

"I feel like I am on a mountain." Monnk stated.

"Yes, the vents or pumps are not working properly, but this vault is critical as it contains the seeds for the hydroponics." Miwa explained. "Without them my people will starve."

"Is everything okay?" Jara asked as he examined the closest pallet.

Hard to tell with seeds. I am no farmer, but they feel awaiting through the Force. Can you not feel it, young one." Miwa asked. She went to the pallet and placed her hand on the large container.

"I feel something, but it doesn't feel much different than this place." Jara replied.

"I see then you have much to learn yet. I thought I felt your roughness in the Force. You have learned, but you just started have you not?" Miwa questioned. "Your blades are interesting. I never felt such crystals before."

"I did just find the Force, but it comes fairly easy for what I have learned so far." Jara replied.

"True things do come easy to those with the strength, but learning even to know that you are touching the Force takes a teacher." Miwa stated and Jara felt that this was a question. She decided that now was not the time to answer him. Droids pushed passed them as they invaded the vault. Jara moved back to the door to get out of the way. "I am waiting for an answer."

"I have no teacher." Jara replied. "I don't need one either."

"Not yet." He countered. A slight chill was added to the uneasiness that she already felt. Several more vaults were opened before Miwa lead them back to the control room. The stormtroopers were no where to be seen, but there were several dead ones lying here and there. The images flipped from one viewer to another many of which were damaged from such age or missing. Then a single view that moved got an image that made Jara's fear rise.

"They are breaking into my ship." She exclaimed.

"That and more are coming. I think it is time to let them know they are not welcome." Miwa grinned wickedly.

"There are a lot more troopers out there even a Jedi would have problems with so many." Monnk countered.

"You don't have any experience with the Sith do you?" Miwa asked as he rushed to the lift.

"Never heard of them. Though I know of Darth Vader the Emperor's hunter uses the Force." Monnk revealed.

"Now that would be a Sith title." Miwa commented. "Still it will be nice to stretch my abilities."

"You fools! How can you let one droid kill and entire squad?" The leader demanded. "Now get in there and destroy that tin can before I start dismembering you all!"

"Yes, sir." the trooper commander replied. " Squads two and three advance covering fire."

"Now if you can't kill this one droid Darth Vader will not be pleased. That means he will not be pleased with me. Do you understand commander?" She growled. The trooper stiffened as he grew cold. "Those frozen beings could be an army that wouldn't mind replacing you incompetents." CT 8675 glared at this former Jedi. He so much wanted to shoot her in the head like he did with his former commander, but she really wasn't a Jedi as she was an inquisitor. The di'kut didn't even have the courtesy to even give her name. Then again the only thing he liked was that she called herself Three, whatever that meant. He ordered his men in and realized he was getting to old for this.

"Weary statement: Are you sending more unworthy meatbags to die? Can none of you bring a challenge?" HK stepped out in the open as he shot the lead troopers. "Declaration: you meatbags are pathetic." HK stood there as they shot at him. CT 8675 took aim and fired a burst at the droid hitting it in the chest. The droid stopped firing as his clothing caught on fire. He ripped the clothing off and then tossed a grenade at the two squads. CT 8675 looked at this droid. It was one he had never seen before, and he had seen a lot of clankers. The grenade took out one of his troopers as he returned fire only to see his shots be absorbed by a shield. The droid moved forward and picked off each of his men one by one. "Pathetic."

"Enough of this!" Three yelled. Her blade snap hissed as she blocked his shots. CT 8675 knew this wasn't a droid he could defeat without a missile launcher. For the first time in his short life he moved away from battle as more of his troops ran in at the red droid. Those who got in front of the inquisitor died and a few of them were just smart enough to stay behind her or slightly to the side.

"Statement: I have just begun." HK unloaded on the woman letting his deflected shots hit the hiding troopers. HK threw a few more grenades and as they exploded or flashed more troopers died. The sonic one didn't even phase the Force user. If HK could smile he would have been grinning. As the last of the troopers died HK tossed his pistols away and pulled out his vibroblades. He loved gutting Force users. Jara and the rest saw the end of his battle and without thinking Jara jumped over the droid and slammed her blades into the glued inquisitor. Their blades clashed and then Jara felt herself getting shoved back.

"A Jedi just what I was sent her to find." Three hissed.

"She is not a Jedi. Though I am having trouble figuring out what you are." Miwa countered. His red blade made her grin.

"I am a Sith." she claimed and Miwa laughed.

"You are no Sith." He declared.

"I was trained by Darth Vader personally." She countered.

"Oh you use the darkside, true, but I am a Sith and you are just a human. In fact I am Sith'ari Miwa Kulas." He introduced himself.

"Darth Sidious is Sith'ari, you are nothing." Three hissed.

"Darth and Sith'ari mean the same thing in two different languages. They both mean lord or king. Now you will learn something else." Miwa moved like a blur and the three of them watched as they fought. It was clear from the beginning that Miwa was the better duelist though he was not a quick as the smaller inquisitor. She also used lightning and Force pushes to her advantage. CT8675 saw the battle as he came back with a rocket launcher. No longer was the droid fighting as three others joined it. The inquisitor was in the fight for her life as he had never seen two Force users fight. Sure he had seen the Jedi duel, but never to kill each other. Then just before it looked like she was going to take his head he stopped her and a red orange beam was pulled from her body. Then a blue white beam hit her and sent her flying. He felt both heat and cold from that final attack. Jara had felt some similar, but a lot stronger.

"Now you know what a Sith'ari can do. We are not just any lord, but thee lord of the Sith themselves. I gain and lose my power from the very people of my clan. You are all alone dark Jedi, or should I say clean Jedi?" Miwa taunted. Jara gasped as the woman looked up and her red yellow eyes had been replaced with glowing green.

"Please I... Don't kill me... but I deserve it. What have I done?" Three babbled.

"You have done what the darkside has demanded of you. Sleep sister and remember the person you are." Miwa suggested. There was a loud clatter and all four of them looked at the last stormtrooper standing.

"Are you my brother?" CT 8675 asked as he pulled off his bucket. Jara looked at on to the other and if it wasn't for Monnk's longer hair they would have looked the same. Unfortunately a blade then appeared inside of his chest straight through his breast plate. "Damn Gen two armor."

"You murderous droid." Monnk growled.

"Statement: he was a worthy meatbag." Monnk rushed to CT 8675 and knew he was going to die.

"Vod, what a way to go." Monnk whispered.

"Not so bad, that clanker knew what I wanted to do. Plus I'm not dead yet." CT 8675 replied.

"That is true." Miwa added. "Pull that armor off and we shall heal him. Jara I need you to help. Lana you will help as well my apprentice." If Jara looked confused the inquisitor was even more so. She crawled over to the clone and Miwa reached out in the Force and took a hold of both women. They resisted, but then understanding developed as the blood stopped as they let go. All three of them sat where they were as the wound closed after a few minutes. The clone screamed weakly during the healing before he passed out.

"How?" Monnk asked.

"The Force is how. We just had to convince his body that it wasn't damaged. I couldn't do it alone as I would have died in his place. We shared the burden. He will recover soon enough." Miwa explained. "Now he needs to rest while we clear this area out before it starts to smell." It didn't take long for the five of them to get the dead troopers out of the entrance way. Monnk had taken the last troopers helmet and could be seen talking as his head moved, but nothing could be heard. After he went into the Hawk he came back out with his full suit of Gen I armor.

"Okay why are you wearing that?" Jara asked.

"Well you don't expect me to wear that plastic armor do you?" Monnk's modified voice replied. "The corvette that placed this company down here thinks that there is a problem. I talked to them and told them that the entire company is inside and the tome is preventing any communication directly with the inquisitor. However they will be landing in a few hours."

"Let them land. In a few hours I will have the first battalion ready. I found all of my ships but two have been taken and just from the one sensor that still worked I doubt they will fly, so I will need that ship." Miwa declared.

"Well that ship has another company of troopers on it. Though if they are useless shebs like these were they shouldn't have a problem taking over." Monnk stated.

"Suggestion: If they use the trooper armor here then they can just walk in." They looked at HK and then the pile of dead troopers. Monnk shook his head as Three laughed.

"Other than all the burn holes I am sure that will work." Jara countered.

"Even with them it could work. Might have to have them play dead." Monnk mumbled as a plan came to him. Miwa headed off back inside as Monnk continued to talk with the ship. Jara walked up to Three and smiled. Their link to heal the clone trooper gave her bits and pieces of the woman who sat on a rock.

"You were a Jedi?" Jara asked.

"I was until I saw Skywalker come into the temple and start killing everyone. I was just a senior Padawan. My master had been killed the week before and I was guarding a few younglings. He came in and we fought. I was depressed cause my master was killed and angry, so angry. I snapped and in my anger, I killed the younglings to prevent him from doing so. He then knocked me out. I barely remember the years it took him to torture me, but then one day I was order to hunt Jedi and I looked forward to it. No longer was I going to be the one being tortured. Now after what Miwa did I am free. I was trapped by what I had done and what had been done to me. He took all the emotion away from those memories. It is like someone else did all of it." She explained. Jara blinked as she felt there still was some emotion there as the woman began to cry. "My name is Eras Tern."

"I am Jara. That is Monnk my uncle and Herzl Kriph, or HK47. You know Miwa now and my other uncle what is his name?" Jara introduced them to her.

"The trooper that was with me?" Eras asked. Then she answered the question. "He is CT 8675. They don't have names. Though a few of the troopers called him, Alor."

"Alor means leader in Mando'a." Jara replied. "But on my world it was used as a name. I was the leader of Clan Pilar which I renamed to Bendular Clan. Though they must be all dead by now."

"What happened?" Eras asked and Jara told her of how she first entered the wreck, finding the ship and the holocrons. Then the activation of all the droids that resulted in the death of her clan and why they were now here. Eras was understanding and like a different person than how she was before the fight. They both looked up as troops in gold and silver armor came marching out of the tunnel. Some took up positions and others took the dead and stripped them. Neither of them understood what they were saying as no one had heard ancient Kittat. Though a Sith would tell you it wasn't Kittat ans it was common Sith and not the rune script name of the Sith. Jara went with the other as this large ship came down and the Sith soldiers acting like wounded troopers stumbled or were dragged on to the ship. She and HK watched the ship and heard very little of the struggle until nearly all the crew of the ship was pushed out of the ship. Most of them were shot which Jara felt was extreme. However Miwa explained that it was necessary to protect his people.

Eras became Miwa's apprentice and lover which Jara found to be gross. Though there were a few of the younger Sith that she found attractive. As the first few weeks went by she started to feel that this was a good place for her. Sure she was disappointed that Miwa didn't take her as an apprentice as well she did learn a few things and get other mistakes corrected. Eras was an average duelist as Miwa was a master of several forms. Jara could after two months hold her own in a straight up fight, but add in other Force powers and she could barely defend herself. Miwa was the one who taught her to get better than Eras, but he wouldn't teach her the things he taught Eras. He told her she didn't need his instruction after he had studied all three of her holocrons, he came to her.

"Jara I need to speak with you." Miwa urged.

"Sith'ari, I am listening." Jara replied. She looked at him and hoped he would finally train her like he did Eras.

"I think it is time for you to leave here." Miwa stated.

"What?! No I want you to teach me. You have been just giving me the scraps of knowledge you have been giving Eras. I am stronger than she is." Jara complained.

"You are and these holocrons are why you are stronger, but take these away and the blades you carry and you could barely fight better than an average human. It is not the power inside of you, but the connection you are getting from the crystals inside those blades. What is the point of teaching you the higher forms if you can not even use another blade. Once you lose those blades you will be weak." Miwa explained. "Give those blade to me or Eras and you would even see the difference." Jara looked at him with anger like he would just take them from her. He shook his head.

"Why tell me this? Why train me only to throw me away?" Jara asked.

"Because what I and Eras have taught you is the knowledge to survive. Better to take the crystals out of those blades and get new ones. Put them together in a necklace or a pouch. Something to keep them always on you. Sure you will not be as strong with the blades, but in balance." Miwa suggested. "In any event I would suggest you leave Kreia's holocron behind. She is a twister of the Force and she will throw you out of balance. Eras has asked about Meetra's holocron. She has gone through much of the same trials as she did."

"I know she has been studying the holocron a lo, but they are mine." Jara replied.

"I know that is why we just ask. Now Mical's holocron is yours. I know this and for only you can fully explore his holocron. I have drifted to far into the light for my nature and Eras too far into the dark." Miwa explained. "Give it some though, but in any event you need to leave this planet within the month. Monnk desires leaving this place and I am sure HK will go with you."

"Why should I go?" Jara asked.

"Because in the two months that we have been awakened this Empire has lost five ships." Jara looked at the two Vigil class corvettes and the three Gozanti class transports. Though what impressed Jara was the two Centurion class Cruisers flying over the tome. "They are coming here and you will die if you stay."

"Then come with me." Jara urged.

"No we have a plan and for all they know it is just a tome world. There are other places that will have ships for all my people." Miwa replied. "Now go think on what I have said and asked." Jara was resigned as she walked away from the ancient Sith. As she entered the Ebon Hawk Eras came out of the tome.

"Did you tell her?" She asked.

"I did, but I am not sure how she took it." Miwa replied. "Though I am not sure she will believe that she is weak."

"She will have to. If she continues on this path she will be hunted. Those blades carry special crystals. If she keeps the two holocrons she will find out what they mean." Eras stated.

"Then I hope she never does find out. If she did she would think in destiny." Miwa replied. "That will kill her."

"Jensaarai, I have an itch." Eras purred in his ear. Miwa smiled and let her lead him back inside.


End file.
